Industry News

Natural gas will have an important role to play in a low emissions future and will be a key partner in Australia’s renewable energy supply chain. Already considered a ‘clean’ fuel, natural gas produces the least amount of carbon dioxide of all fossil fuels. However, what many people don’t realise is that natural gas will also have a prominent role in the development of Australia’s new hydrogen industry. 

Learn more.

APPEA recently released a report undertaken by energy research and consultancy Wood Mackenzie. The report highlighted that the industry’s success from 2009 to 2012 was predicated on relatively few regulatory and fiscal changes in the previous decade, which provided a strong foundation for a wave of unprecedented investment.

The scale of this investment, including the establishment of LNG projects in the Territory was worth approximately $350 billion Australia wide and has delivered direct and indirect economic benefits to the Australian economy.

In the immediate term, the benefit has come from direct spending into local communities while the full taxation benefits to be accrued in the latter half of this decade.

Wood Mackenzie Vice President Energy Consulting, Asia Pacific Chris Graham said: “Our analysis found the stability of the regulatory and fiscal environment in the years prior to investment was key to oil and gas majors with strong balance sheets and development capability making long-term commitments to the country.

“However, against the backdrop of a challenging macroeconomic environment and lower commodity prices, Australian fiscal and regulatory volatility has increased at a time when continued stability would be highly beneficial.”

While focused on the oil and gas industry, the findings also show regulatory instability, intervention and uncertainty, coupled with Australia being considered to be a high-cost destination for business, has reduced the investment appetite, is also relevant for many other industries in the Territory.

The Territory has an opportunity to secure a new wave investment in gas and stable regulatory and fiscal environment is crucial for recovery.  While the report was completed prior to understanding the full impacts of COVID-19, and the decline of the oil price, it remains relevant as Australia shifts focus to economic recovery and global reintegration.

A lack of investment will have economic flow-on effects to communities and businesses we work with, making it counter-productive to the economic recovery phase that this country will need to embark on.

A copy of the report can be found here. 

https://www.appea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Australia-Oil-and-Gas-Industry-Outlook-Report.pdf 

Updates on implementation of recommendations from the Final Report of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing are made available on the Hydraulic Fracturing website. This progress update provides detail on the status of implementation from 1 November 2019 to 30 April 2020. As at 30 April 2020, 60 of the 135 recommendations have been fully completed, 71 commenced and four are yet to commence. Updates to the implementation status of individual recommendations can be found by clicking on the relevant recommendations here   30 April 2020 implementation progress highlights include: 1. The Strategic Regional and Environmental Baseline Assessment (SREBA) From 9 December 2019 to 28 February 2020, the draft SREBA Framework was released for public consultation. The draft SREBA Framework PDF (3.1 MB)  and Guidance Notes explain the expected roles and responsibilities of parties involved, and the interconnection and design of the six study areas when undertaken anywhere in the NT, in the domains of: Water quality and quantity Aquatic ecosystems Terrestrial ecosystems Greenhouse gas emissions Environmental health Social, Cultural and Economic, inclusive of a Strategic Regional Assessment. The SREBA public consultation period received 16 written submissions, and verbal feedback during 12 in-person stakeholder briefings. The full SREBA framework is currently being finalised based on feedback received and is expected to be released in July 2020. Scopes of work for each SREBA domain are currently being drafted and require approval from the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources prior to finalisation. These will be submitted to the Minister individually as each scope of works has varying technical expert input and stakeholder engagement required to finalise. The opportunity to submit an application to tender for the Social, Cultural and Economic SREBA scope of work is available on the NT Government current opportunities  page. 2. Regulation and Assessment The NT Government has progressed a number of recommendations relating to regulation and assessment, including: Commenced drafting land access provisions within the draft Petroleum Regulations 2020, expected completion July 2020. Passed the Petroleum Legislation Miscellaneous Amendments Bill 2019, to commence in June 2020 alongside the Environment Protection Act 2019. The amendment to the Act completed five recommendations in full and has enabled the progression of another four recommendations. Written a submission to the Commonwealth Government’s review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), which reiterates the NT Government’s commitment to implementing Recommendation 7.3, to amend the EPBC Act to apply the ‘water trigger’ to onshore shale gas development. 3. Aboriginal Information Program The Aboriginal Information Program (addressing recommendations 11.5 and 11.6) is being designed to ensure: Aboriginal people and communities have access to consistent, factual, relevant and easy to understand and culturally appropriate information relating to the onshore petroleum industry. CSIRO is developing an information package that can be used when engaging with communities who will potentially be affected by the gas industry. Stage one of this work will be delivered mid-2020, with testing, translation into Aboriginal languages and engagement to commence in the second half of 2020. Independent Oversight of the sixth Hydraulic Fracturing Implementation Progress update The role of the Independent Overseer is to provide the Chief Minister and NT Government with independent advice on how the implementation of the recommendations from the Inquiry is progressing and being managed. The nature of this role requires the Independent Officer to remain at arms-length from day-to-day decisions and processes relating to implementation. The Independent Overseer of the implementation of the recommendations, Dr David Ritchie, has provided comment on the progress of implementation outlined in the sixth quarterly update. Overall, Dr Ritchie found that implementation continues satisfactorily in accordance with the findings of the Inquiry. In his letter, Dr Ritchie noted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that travel restrictions may delay progress on some recommendations which require face-to-face engagement. Read Dr Ritchie’s full advice here PDF (218.7 KB)  To contact the Independent Officer, email Dr David Ritchie at independent.oversight@nt.gov.au  Community and Business Reference Group The Community and Business Reference Group met for the seventh time on 2 June 2020. The agenda included: Review of the 6 month Progress update Targeted engagement for Stage three of implementation What’s next? The NT Government is progressing from stage two to stage three of the Implementation Plan for most Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry recommendations. Stage three recommendations are mostly larger projects that are anticipated to be delivered over the next 18 months to three years. Progress updates will be announced through six-monthly community bulletins as Stage 3 of the Implementation Plan continues. Want to find out more? To find out about opportunities to engage in consultation or to keep up to date with status of implementation of each recommendations, sign up for regular updates on the website: www.hydraulicfracturing.nt.gov.au  by email: hydraulic.fracturing@nt.gov.au

AUSTRALIAN onshore oil and gas explorer Central Petroleum has appointed a new, well-known, face to its board as it looks to future growth in the Northern Territory.

In a notice to shareholders today, ASX-listed junior Central Petroleum announced Dr Agu Kantsler had joined the board as a director.

Kantsler is a familiar face in the Asia-Pacific oil and gas industry, and is currently a non-executive director of Oil Search.

Prior to joining Oil Search, Kantsler led Woodside Petroleum as executive vice president for exploration and new ventures.

Central Petroleum said Kantsler's appointment was made after an "extensive search" for the right fit.

"Kantsler's appointment is timely as he joins Central during an important step-change in the evolution of our company," Central chairperson Wrix Gasteen said.

Gasteen said Central was emerging from market challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price crash, and that Kantsler would bring technical credibility and an "extensive depth of experience to the board" at an "exciting juncture" in the company's growth strategy. 

Central aims to become on of Australia's major suppliers of gas to the east coast market.

This year the company is looking to the Northern Territory's Amadeus Basin for exploration, while also completing its recently drilled Dukas exploration well.

"[Dukas] is targeting one of the largest conventional on-shore gas prospects in Australia," Gasteen noted.

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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AFTER enacting the onshore petroleum laws at the end of May the government of Timor-Leste has now approved its national oil company Timor Gap to take a 20% participating interest in any production sharing contracts awarded from its upcoming licensing round. 

The round began October last year and runs a year. It was launched at the nation's inaugural oil and gas conference held in Dili. Eleven offshore blocks and seven onshore are available.   

Timor Gap has also recently farmed into the former Joint Petroleum Development Authority permit PSC 11-106 and has also entered two onshore PSCs with Nepean Engineering subsidiary Timor Resources.  

It has a PSC with Singapore-based Sunda Gas, awarded in November and another with Inpex dated September.  

It holds a 56.56% stake in the Greater Sunrise gas project with operator Woodside Petroleum.  

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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The price of oil has risen and fallen spectacularly in past decades, yet there is much debate about where prices will move in the future. Ongoing trade disputes, attacks on oil installations, efforts to stabilise climate change and the devastating effects of COVID-19 are all contributing market disorder and volatility.

In this Masterclass webinar series, you’ll learn about major drivers of the oil market and use economic principles to explain its extraordinary price performance. You’ll gain a clear picture of oil supply and demand determinants, and will analyse pricing prospects in the near future and beyond. In the final session, you’ll also consider natural gas prices and the evolution of gas in regional markets.

Registrations are now open

Please contact us if you have any further questions about the program:
Telephone: +61 8 9266 4555
E-mail: execed@curtin.edu.au 

The Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy will lead a project to increase renewable energy uptake through the development of microgrid technology.

Intyalheme, a flagship project of Desert Knowledge Australia (DKA), has been awarded $3.2m in grant funding from the Australian Government under the Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund – Microgrids.
 
The project will address barriers that are limiting additional renewable energy from being added to the Alice Springs power system.
 
Using technical, economic and behavioural modelling, the project seeks to determine which short-term interventions will be needed to shore up existing grid stability as a first priority.
 
Beyond that, the regulatory and technical developments needed to support a higher proportion of renewable energy will be identified. The modelling will outline how the Alice Springs grid could operate without any thermal (conventional) power generation, even for a short period.
 
Other factors will be explored, such as working out the implications of disconnecting and reconnecting a microgrid into the main power system, and establishing who carries the liabilities for supply during periods of disconnection.
 
“This funding forms part of a broader plan to revolutionise the Alice Springs power system over the next two years,” said General Manager of the Intyalheme Centre for Future Energy, Glenn Marshall.
 
“The transition to a renewable energy future is upon us, and because Alice Springs is an isolated grid, we will be among the first to face the sort of grid stability challenges that are associated with a high proportion of renewable energy,” he said.
 
“Technology like microgrids, household batteries, and cloud forecasting will be crucial in the future energy system, so today’s announcement is terrific news as it ensures a firm path towards a clean and secure energy future for Alice Springs.”  
 
Lessons learnt through the Alice Springs study will be applicable to other grids in the Northern Territory, and beyond.
 
The project will culminate in the development of a Roadmap to 2030 report, identifying the necessary steps to reach the NT renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030, in Alice Springs.

More information available here

MORE than A$3 billion of renewable projects are vying for funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s A$70 million green hydrogen fund.

The fund was announced in April to help fast track the development of renewable hydrogen, and closed several weeks ago with ARENA receiving 36 expressions of interest in the round. 

The funding round is expected to play a significant role in supporting commercial-scale deployments of renewable hydrogen in Australia help meet energy minister Angus Taylor's goal of hydrogen production for under A$2 a kilo or ‘H2 under $2'.

"The strong interest in the Morrison government's Renewable Hydrogen Deployment Funding Round shows Australian industry is ready to co-invest with government and build a sustainable hydrogen sector," Taylor said today. 

Labor's climate spokesman Mark Butler said the massive oversubscription was evidence the government underestimates the potential of Australia's green hydrogen sector. 

"The scheme was oversubscribed and underfunded," he said. 

"The Morrison government never had any intention to properly invest in hydrogen development."

ARENA aims to use the funding round to support two or more large scale renewable hydrogen projects with electrolysers of a minimum 5 megawatt capacity with a preference for 10MW or larger. 

The expressions of interest include over $1 billion in total grant requests, over $3 billion in total combined project value and almost 500MW of electrolysis capacity. 

ARENA said projects selected in the funding round can also be considered for further financing from the government-backed Clean Energy Finance Corporation under its own $300 million Advancing Hydrogen Fund.

ARENA said it will now assess the expression of interest and invited shortlisted projects to submit a full application with the goal to award funding by the end of the calendar year. 

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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Upstream Production Solutions (Upstream PS) is delighted to announce it has expanded its business in the Northern Territory (NT) by setting up a ‘Darwin Hub’ facility to showcase its Operations, Maintenance, Projects, and Advisory capability.

The new ‘Darwin Hub’ facility includes offices, a logistics supply base and a safety critical device maintenance and repair workshop and reestablishes Upstream PS in the Territory after the company was founded there 20 years ago.

“This strategic move for Upstream PS brings us closer to our clients in the region and we look forward to working closely with the NT government, other businesses and the community to help the Territory grow.” said Cameron Wills, Chief Executive Officer.

Upstream PS provides operations and maintenance services in Australia and the NT region for clients such as Eni, Shell, Santos, C02CRC, APA, Origin, Origin APLNG, Arrow Energy, MEPAU and the Australian Government.

About Upstream PS

Upstream PS is a wholly owned subsidiary of GR Engineering Services Limited (ASX:GNG) with an extensive track record in the provision of operations, maintenance, projects and advisory services. The Upstream PS team has served the oil and gas industry for more than 20 years, with a strong reputation for providing safe, innovative, and sustainable solutions to production challenges.

For further information, please contact:

Upstream Production Solutions 

josh.harrison@upstreamps.com

AUSTRALASIAN oil and gas producer Jadestone Energy has posted a profit, despite the oil price crash and economic woes felt by other regional explorers and producers.

Jadestone, which operates the Montara and Stag oilfields offshore Western Australia, reported a pre-tax profit of US$13.1 million for the first quarter ending March 31. 

This is an increase from $10.67 million in the corresponding period in 2019, or roughly a 20% increase. 

However, profits were down compared to the final quarter of 2019, when the company posted net profits of US$27 million. 

Jadestone told shareholders yesterday afternoon that while net revenue for the first quarter had fallen 20% on the previous quarter, to US$74.2 million, its hedging program had ensured output remained "well above the Brent benchmark".

Of its US$13.1 million in profits, $8.2 million was made from hedged oil. 

Oil prices, both Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate, were sidelined over the quarter when Russia and Saudi Arabia flooded the market in a dangerous game of chicken when neither country agreed to output cuts to secure the global oil price. 

Production from the Montara project totaled an average of 8799 bopd, lower than the first quarter of 2020 due to cyclonic activity and a maintenance shut down. 

Jadestone reported one single lifting from Montara over the three months to March 31 of 512,575bbls. 

Meanwhile Stag field production was up from 1,941bopd in the March quarter of 2019 to 2866 bbls last quarter. 

Two liftings were reported from the Stag field, totalling 5118,193 bbls, compared to a single lifting of 170,000 in the first quarter of 2019.

Earlier in the year, Jadestone announced it would shelve its Nam Du and U Minh gas project in Vietnam citing a deteriorating international gas market and government approval delays. 

The company also advised it would push back an infill drilling campaign in Australia until 2021.

Jadestone recently completed a seismic survey across its Montara oil field. It then planned to drill several wells across the Montara and nearby Skua oil and gas fields to increase production. 

The first well, H6, was to be drilled in the AC/L7 production permit on the Montara Field and was expected to spud this quarter. 

A second development well, Skua-12, was to be drilled in the adjacent AC/L8 license on the Skua Field.

Jadestone also planned to conduct workovers of the H3 and Skua-10 wells across the two respective Australian permits.

Source: Energy News Bulletin

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