Flowline

An independent report into Western Australia’s gas market has highlighted the growing importance of natural gas in WA’s energy mix and the need for investment in new supply. Rystad Energy found policy and regulatory stability remained vital for the gas industry to invest $11 billion in new supply needed to meet demand in WA over the next decade.

The urgent need for new gas supply has been laid bare in an independent report warning of a “material risk” to Australia’s power supplies because of future gas shortfalls and a lack of investment in gas generation. In its 2023 Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO), the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) said the “ongoing availability” of energy sources such as gas “will be critical to the reliability” of the National Electricity Market (NEM).

The opening of bids for the next round of Commonwealth offshore greenhouse gas storage acreage is another welcome milestone, furthering the growing momentum to deploy carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology in Australia. The nation’s oil and gas industry said today’s announcement would help accelerate the nation’s path to net zero and support the creation a new carbon management industry in Australia.

The West Australian Government’s decision to pre-empt its own Dom Gas Inquiry and announce changes that would curb investment in new onshore gas supply was extremely disappointing, Australia’s oil and gas industry said today.

Samantha McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri People, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. I thank the Committee for the opportunity to provide a short opening statement on behalf of Australian gas producers.

Transcript: APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch talks about the Victoria ban on gas in new housing developments and responds to activists targeting private home of APPEA Chair Interview with 3AW Radio Neil Mitchell Neil Mitchell: On the line is the chief executive of the industry body the Australian petroleum Production Exploration Association, Samantha McCulloch. Good morning. Samantha McCulloch: Good morning, Neil. Thanks for having me.

Attributable to APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch: The behaviour of activists today in targeting the private home of APPEA Chair Meg O’Neill is unacceptable and strongly condemned by Australia’s oil and gas industry. The industry respects the rights of protesters to demonstrate legally in public places, but the private homes and families of business leaders should clearly be out of bounds.

The Victorian Government’s gas ban for new homes ignores the fundamentals of the energy system transformation to net zero including the importance of gas as a partner to renewables in reliable electricity generation.

Australia’s oil and gas industry has named its new Queensland Director to ensure the state continues to share in the benefits of the gas industry on the path to net zero. Keld Knudsen joins the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) Brisbane office after previously serving a decade with the organisation from 2011 to 2021.

Australia’s oil and gas industry has called on the Federal Government to prioritise addressing forecast gas supply shortfalls to avoid black outs and further cost-of-living pain after taking control of the gas market with its new Mandatory Code of Conduct.