With Gorgon, Pluto and other major LNG developments creating boomtown conditions in the Western Australian capital of Perth, this month’s Australasian Oil & Gas show looks to be in the right place at the right time.
Perth is certainly the place to be for Australian and other offshore operators, contractors and vendors these days but, as elsewhere, concerns remain that skills shortages may prove a drag on future oil & gas development activity.
Acknowledging such concerns, operator Woodside and the organisers of Australasian Oil & Gas (AOG 2010) at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre 24-26 March have joined forces to launch a new initiative to encourage secondary and tertiary students to pursue a career in the oil & gas industry.
The third day of the show has been designated ‘AOG Careers Day’ and the accent will be on communicating the career opportunities available in the industry through a combination of seminar presentations and face-to-face interaction between students and industry leaders.
As well as Woodside, the Careers Day will be supported by Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, JP Kenny, Society for Underwater Technology, and Engineers Australia.
Ben Davis, Woodside’s resourcing and diversity manager, said the initiative provided an opportunity to not only talk to students about career opportunities in the oil & gas industry available at Woodside, but also identify potential candidates for the company’s diverse graduate and training programmes.
‘Securing and developing emerging talent is integral to our growth strategy as we construct our Pluto LNG project and progress our Sunrise and Browse LNG developments,’ said Davis.
‘Woodside actively sources talent through our graduate, internship and apprenticeship programs to ensure a pipeline of talent for the future. We also have clearly defined indigenous employment training pathways that provide opportunities for indigenous Australians.’
The Careers Day will feature two streams of seminars targeting secondary students in years 10-12 and tertiary engineering and science students.
Among the industry leaders so far confirmed to present seminars is Yvette Manolas (pictured, right), a senior engineer at Woodside and the Western Australian winner of the Telstra Marie Claire Young Business Women’s Award in 2009.
Participating students will also be invited to tour AOG 2010 in small groups and visit supporter stands to meet representatives from each company.
Woodside will also be among the shows 500+ local and international exhibitors and plans to showcase the $1.6 billion Angel project – the North West Shelf Venture’s newest offshore gas production facility – as part of the exhibition’s new Innovation Zone.
Subsea in the spotlight
The rash of major offshore gas projects set to reshape Western Australia’s economy will be among the major topics of discussion and analysis at the Subsea Australasia Conference, which will run alongside AOG 2010 at the same venue.
Hailed as Australia’s largest subsea event, it is expected to attract some 450 delegates with a programme featuring both technical and business development streams.
In one of six topical seminars, Subsea Energy Australia (SEA) and Subsea UK will provide an overview of upcoming subsea projects in Australasia, asking leading oil & gas operators to outline their plans in the region.
AOG exhibition director Bill Hare said the seminar would provide an insight into the oil & gas industry’s future, particularly in Western Australia. ‘At a time when many oil & gas centres around the world are contracting, Western Australia’s industry is developing rapidly with offshore projects such as Pluto, Gorgon, Ichthys, Prelude and Browse set to have a significant impact on the state’s economy. This half-day seminar will explore such projects and discuss the diverse opportunities they are likely to provide to smaller oil and gas service companies,’ said Hare.
A joint initiative between SEA, Subsea UK, SUT and AOG, the Subsea Australasia Conference will open with a half-day seminar focusing on growth forecasts for the Australasian subsea market, identifying factors that might limit growth potential and their likely impact on business development opportunities in the region.
The conference will also incorporate technical seminars on specific topics such as systems engineering, long distance tiebacks, geophysics and geohazards, and subsea technical challenges in Australasia.
‘The subsea industry delivers fresh and exciting business opportunities year after year, but decision makers must not take for granted the many technical challenges that come with opportunities,’ said Hare. ‘The Subsea Australasia conference will take a closer look at key technical challenges in the region, providing delegates with an update on important new technologies, capabilities and innovations.’
AOG 2010 will also have a strong subsea focus with a dedicated ‘subsea zone’ showcasing the latest products and projects from subsea industry leaders such as FMC Technologies, Cameron, Aker Solutions, GE Oil & Gas, IntecSea Worley Parsons, Subsea 7, DOF Subsea, Neptune Marine and TS Marine.
A popular component of the 2009 exhibition, the subsea zone will be 30% larger in 2010 and incorporate a new ‘subsea bar’ to further facilitate networking among exhibitors and visitors. ‘Members of the subsea industry seeking solutions, inspiration, education and access to major local and international decision makers will find everything they are looking for under one roof,’ said Hare.
Visit AOG Expo at: www.aogexpo.com.au
First course from Curtin University
Also running in parallel with AOG 2010 in Perth, on 24/25 March, will be a wet gas metering course – the first of its type to be offered in Australia. A Curtin University initiative, the course will be conducted in eight parts by Dr Richard Steven, director of the Colorado Engineering Experimental Station Inc (CEESI).
All delegates will receive a copy of the recently published ASME standard on wet gas measurement.
To learn more, go to: www.curtin.edu.au
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