HON Mark McGowan, Premier WA – Statement to AOG

LNG JOBS TASKFORCE ANNOUNCES EXTENSIVE OPERATOR BRIEFINGS AT AOG

Woodside, Chevron, Shell, Santos to present Forward Work Plans at AOG 11-13 March 2020

Western Australia continues to lead the nation as Australia’s biggest natural gas exporter, exporting almost 50 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). With a growing sector and increased production, come opportunities in new markets, as we look to diversify the State’s LNG customer base while supporting our existing clients.

As our State’s premier oil and gas event and the largest of its kind in Australia, the Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (AOG), hosted in Perth, is therefore a vital platform to aid in driving this growth, as the event where the industry annually converges.

Western Australia is home to some of the world’s largest gas resources, so the growth of the LNG sector in WA provides a unique opportunity for complementary industries to locate in WA and develop and diversify to support the construction, operations, maintenance and decommissioning phases of the project life cycles.

The creation of WA jobs continues to be my Government’s primary focus and large industry sectors including LNG offer significant opportunities for Western Australians. My government is committed to supporting jobs growth in WA through both new and emerging legislation and through collaboration with industry.

The Energy Industry Consultation group – created from the LNG Jobs Taskforce – will also play a major role in the implementation and development of the Local Jobs Bill.

In 2018 the LNG Jobs Taskforce was announced at AOG. It has been established to work cooperatively across the industry and with unions to achieve substantial, transformative change and enhance Western Australia’s capability as an LNG centre of excellence, servicing Australia and the broader region.

To achieve this, the Taskforce and its Work Groups are harnessing the capabilities and opportunities to realise this vision. The five key areas in focus are: Local Supply Contracts, Regional Supply Opportunities, Remote Operations, Leveraging Domestic Gas Supply and Industry Skills Transfer.

An AOG Directing Committee has been established under the LNG Jobs Taskforce. The Committee is working directly with AOG, utilising the event as an integral platform for engagement, transparency and collaboration between operators and the supply chain in working towards our objectives.

The next step in the LNG Jobs Taskforce vision is the release of Operator Forward Work Plans at AOG 2020. This will take place at the event via Operator Briefing sessions presented by Woodside Energy, Chevron Australia, Shell Australia and Santos. AOG attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with these operators.

With the theme of ‘Forward Together’, AOG 2020 is an ideal platform for this Operator-Supply chain collaboration. It is where 8000 local and global attendees come together to discover technology and capability, forge new connections and look forward – helping to realise the growth of Western Australia as an LNG hub and unleash thousands of new jobs for Western Australians.

On behalf of the State Government, I encourage you to take the time to attend AOG 2020, meet operators, local sub-contractors, service providers and researchers, to learn about local capabilities and new opportunities.

Hon Mark McGowan

PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA; MINISTER FOR STATE DEVELOPMENT, JOBS AND TRADE

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Running from 11 – 13 March 2020 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, the annual Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (AOG) is the largest oil and gas event in Australia, and a vehicle for collaboration. The free exhibition and conference brings together the entire supply chain – 8,000+ attendees and 300+ exhibitors for a 3 day showcase of local and international technology and services, with extensive networking opportunities.

 Register for FREE here: https://aogexpo.com.au/register/