Industry News

Office Minister Paul Kirby

The Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) kicks off in Alice Springs today with the highest amount of registrations since 2013, underpinning increased confidence in the Territory’s resources sector.  

The Territory’s premier mineral and petroleum exploration event, the two-day AGES gathering has already received registrations from around 250 people, making it the best attended AGES conference in six years.

More than 50 exploration companies from around Australia and globally are sending delegates to AGES, including some that are looking at investing for the first time in the Northern Territory.

Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby said the Territory’s exploration sector is growing, driven by strong exploration for commodities such as zinc, copper, gold and lithium, and AGES was an opportunity for the industry to share information on exploration results and new discoveries.

The seminar comes off the back of some encouraging new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing that:

• The Territory’s mineral exploration expenditure in the 2018 calendar year was $123.2 million – up 35 per cent on 2017.

• The NT’s December 2018 quarterly mineral exploration expenditure of nearly $40 million was the strongest quarter of exploration in the Territory since the mining boom days of 2012.

The ABS stats build on the Territory’s already strong results from financial year 2017/18 where the value of mineral production in the NT reached a record $4.49 billion – a 24 per cent increase on the previous year and the first time the value of the Territory’s mining sector has passed the $4 billion mark.

Quotes from Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby:

“Our Government will continue to support the Territory’s resources sector – driving investment into the Territory, creating local business opportunities, and delivering local jobs.

 “Under the Territory Labor Government, there is confidence in the resources sector – with record values of mineral production in the Territory, increasing minerals exploration activity and certainty for the future of onshore gas exploration.”

Media Contact: Carl Pfeiffer 0417 910 720

 

One of Eureka’s water treatment facilities MGX Minerals and Eureka Resources are planning a joint venture to extract lithium from water produced at non-conventional oil and gas sites in eastern US.

he pair signed a letter of intent to form an exclusive JV, planning to use MGX's "rapid lithium extraction technology" at Eureka's treatment plants to recover the battery material ingredient. 

Eureka said it converted 10,000 barrels a day of "produced water", from oil and gas operators in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations, into valuable co-products including fresh water and high-purity sodium chloride. 

"Through this joint venture, Eureka will begin extracting lithium as well," the companies said. 

MGX president and CEO Jared Lazerson said the JV would not only look to install an initial rapid recovery system immediately but viewed it as "the first step in executing the strategic vision of petrolithium". 

"The extraction of lithium from oil and gas well sources is a broad paradigm shift for the energy sector," he said.

Source: Energy News Bulletin

Read more here.

JUNIOR producer Jadestone Energy has released its 2019 guidance ahead of announcing its full year results, and expects its overall production rates to triple thanks to its recent acquisition of the Montara oil field in offshore Western Australia.

Jadestone secured 100% of Montara from PTTTEP recently, adding it to the Stag field in northwest Western Australia and its pre-development and exploration assets in Vietnam and parts of Southeast Asia.  

Average Montara production over the last month reached a rate of 15,369 barrels of oil per day, following some flush production from Montara's restart and continued natural flow from the Skua-11 and Swift-2 wells.  

Average unit production from both Montara and Stag costs between US$21-24 per barrel, the junior reported.  

Jadestone estimates this year oil output across its producing assets will average between 13,500-15,500bopd. 

"Following our acquisition of the Montara asset, offshore Australia, we have tripled production, all of it high quality and premium-priced oil from offshore Australia, and are making good progress on a significant development project in Vietnam, which we expect to sanction this year," Jadestone CEO Paul Blakeley said.  

"As we increase our influence and control over the Montara asset, in preparation for taking over operatorship, we are identifying more opportunities to generate value for shareholders, including innovative ways to add reserves and resources, while optimising both production rates and operating costs."

 Source: Energy News Bulletin

Read more here.

The second quarterly update on implementation is now available to view online.

This second report provides detail on the status of implementation as at 31 December 2018. The staged approach to implementation of the recommendations is provided in a narrative format under the six reform areas listed in the Implementation Plan:

• Strengthening Regulation
  
• Ensuring Accountable Industry Practice
  
• Safeguarding Water and the Environment
  
• Respecting Community and Culture
  
• Maximising Regional Benefits and Local Opportunities
  
• Planning for Industry
  

To read the second quarterly report and updates on the implementation of all recommendations, please visit Hydraulic Fracturing Progress.

The Independent Officer overseeing the implementation of the recommendations, Dr David Ritchie, has provided comment on the progress of implementation of the recommendations outlined in the quarterly report. Read Dr Ritchie’s advice here

The third Onshore Shale Gas Community and Business Reference Group (CBRG) meeting will be held in March 2019. The meeting will include:

• Web Presentation by Marcellus Center for Outreach & Research, USA, about lessons from the industry development in the USA;
• Presentation by industry representatives about exploration plans for 2019; and
• Progress report on implementation of recommendations, detailed briefing and feedback on policy issues

The CBRG meets 4 times per year and includes representatives from the community, environmental groups, local business, the gas industry, land councils and local government.

The chair of the CBRG can be contacted via email at Cbreference.group@nt.gov.au

A copy of the communique for the third CBRG meeting will be available online following the meeting. Read the communiques of previous meetings here

To read more about the legislative changes that have been progressed to date, please visit Community Bulletin 12

To read the latest from the NTG Newsroom, please visit NTG Newsroom

To read the Implementation Plan or access additional information regarding the progress of implementation, please visit hydraulicfracturing.nt.gov.au To read the Inquiry report and recommendations, please visit frackinginquiry.nt.gov.au

Contact the Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry Implementation Taskforce at hydraulic.fracturing@nt.gov.au

Minister Paul Kirby

Applications are open for the latest round of collaborative grants for exploration drilling and geophysics in the Northern Territory, an NT Government initiative which will help to create jobs and provide economic benefits.

The Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program provides collaborative funding of 50 per cent for up to $125,000 per project of the total costs for drilling and geophysical programs by industry. The projects must be in areas of the NT where there is a lack of geological information.

The collaborative grants program is part of the Northern Territory Government’s $26 million Resourcing the Territory initiative, which includes geoscience and industry stimulus programs to maximise resources exploration in the NT.

With an aim to address gaps in the critical understanding of the geology of the NT, the collaborative grants program will encourage projects that may open up new areas for exploration and ensure the data is made available to the wider exploration community.

Now up to its 12th round of collaborative grants, 2018 saw a record number of applicants received for the program, with 15 projects from 12 different companies potentially receiving more than $1 million in funding.

The Geophysics and Drilling Collaboration project funding is for programs to be undertaken during 2019, and applications will close on 15 April 2019. Guidelines and assessment criteria can be found at www.minerals.nt.gov.au/collaborations.

Quotes from Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Paul Kirby:

“The Territory Labor Government’s number one priority is jobs.

 “Initiatives like this increase the Territory’s profile as a resources investment destination and will bring in investment and exploration expenditure.

“Research shows the economic return on programs like this is ten times more than what the NT Government spends on the initiatives themselves.”

Media Contact: Carl Pfeiffer 0417 910 720

Regulatory Reform of Petroleum Activities Regulatory reform of the onshore gas industry reached an important milestone on Wednesday (27 February 2019) with the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources (the Minister) assuming responsibility for environmental regulation of the onshore petroleum industry.  This recent change to the Administrative Arrangement Order, has occurred in accordance with Recommendation 14.34 of the Final Report:

That prior to the grant of any further exploration approvals, in order to ensure independence and accountability, there must be a clear separation between the agency with responsibility for regulating the environmental impacts and risks associated with any onshore shale gas industry and the agency responsible for promoting that industry.

With this change, the Minister now holds responsibility for approval of and compliance with Environment Management Plans (EMPs), the primary environmental approval for petroleum activities under the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016, and the environmental harm offences within Part V Division 2 of the Petroleum Act 1984. Government remains committed to implementing all 135 recommendations in the Final Report from the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory and this separation of responsibilities delivers on a key recommendation of the Final Report. Petroleum companies with granted petroleum interests (such as Exploration Permits or Production Licences) are required to submit an EMP for assessment and the Minister must approve the EMP before any regulated activities can occur. Regulated activities are defined in the Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016 as activities which have an environmental impact or environmental risk and include seismic surveys, drilling of wells and hydraulic fracturing. The Minister for Primary Industry and Resources will continue to hold responsibility for all tenure related matters under the Petroleum Act 1984, petroleum resource management and operational approvals including well operations. Having a clear separation between the Minister promoting the Industry and the Minister responsible for regulating environmental impacts of the Industry will ensure the Territory has a robust and transparent regulatory framework that enables the onshore gas industry to develop in a manner that protects the environment and provides certainty to industry and the community. Since October 2018, a number of Legislative and administrative changes have been progressed, including;

Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 passed through the parliament that will ensure that the requirement for water licensing and permits to access water resources will apply to mining and petroleum activities; along with updating offences and penalties (recommendation 7.1); Passing of the Environment Protection Authority Amendment Bill 2018, providing the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) additional members with specialist skills and experience in the assessment and management of the environmental impacts of onshore gas development, positioned to deliver independent expert advice to the Minister for Environment to inform decision making (Recommendation 14.34); Introduction of the Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 to the Legislative Assembly in November 2018, with proposed amendments to ensure petroleum companies, as applicants, are ‘fit and proper’ to hold exploration permits or production licences (Recommendation 14.12); providing provisions for open standing for judicial review for decisions made under the Petroleum Act 1984 and Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016 (Recommendation 14.23); and ability to ensure codes of practice that are established are enforceable by law and that companies can be penalised if they do not abide by them (recommendation 5.1); The Scrutiny Committee report is due 12 March 2019; and The amendments to Petroleum (Environment) Regulations 2016 ensure that all draft Environment Management Plans for the drilling of petroleum wells and hydraulic fracturing activities, must be published in print and online and available for public comment prior to Ministerial approval, and that all comments made on draft Environment Management Plans must be published online (recommendation 14.15); that cumulative impacts are given consideration (recommendation 14.19); that all notices and reports of environmental incidents and reportable incidents are published online (recommendation 14.16); and that hydraulic fracturing fluids proposed to be used are disclosed and published and flowback and produced water composition must be reported and published (recommendation 7.10).

Territorians will now have the opportunity to comment on Environment Management Plans for drilling of petroleum wells and hydraulic fracturing before they are considered by Government. The Minister will be bound by law to consider the comments before making a decision to approve or refuse the Environment Management Plan. An Environment Management Plan will only be approved if the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources is satisfied that certain approval criteria have been met.  Click here to access the fact sheet about Environment Management Plans. To read more about the legislative changes that have been progressed to date, please visit Community Bulletins To access the Administrative Arrangements Order, please click here To read the latest from the NTG Newsroom, please visit NTG Newsroom To read the Implementation Plan or access additional information regarding the progress of implementation, please visit hydraulicfracturing.nt.gov.au To read the Inquiry report and recommendations, please visit frackinginquiry.nt.gov.au Contact the Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry Implementation Taskforce at hydraulic.fracturing@nt.gov.au

REMOTE power specialist Zenith Energy has secured $40 million in additional corporate debt facilties two days after releasing half-year results that showed growth from its move from engineering, procurement, construction specialist to a build, own, operate model. 

The money will be used on capital expenditure on new and existing projects, with some left over for acquisitions and general corporate spend.  

The company has been able to gain an overall reduction in associated funding costs as well as the extend the debt maturity date.  

Yesterday the company announced it had received certification of full diesel completion after satisfying diesel performance testing requirements at the 62 megawatt power station it built for Newmont Mining's; Tanami gold mine.  

It will now begin commissioning the Wartsila gas generation capacity before testing the full completion performance testing in the weeks to follow.  

Meanwhile during its half year results of Tuesday it reported 61% growth in BOO megawatt  growth over the previous corresponding period, a 53% growth in BOO revenue compared to the last period, 123% growth in BOO EBITDA, and 19% growth in total megawatts under control from 395MW to 428MW over the period.  

Group net profit after tax was down $4.8 million compared with the previous period thanks to what Zenith calls a "refocus on growing BOO operations".  

 PP&E increased from $76 million in the second half of financial 2018 to $114 million in the first half of this financial year and inventory increased fro $700,000 to $12 million 

Source: Energy News Bulletin

Read more here.

SANTOS yesterday released its climate change report for 2019, the same day it released its full year 2018 financial report, and put its case for a low carbon future with a focus on gas and a goal of becoming completely emissions free by 2050. This is the company’s second climate change report.

The company's vision is to be Australia's leading onshore gas company by 2025 and grow its gas portfolio "safely and sustainably, in partnership with communities," and in tandem play a leading role in the reducing global emissions.  

Santos said its strategy is economically resilient under all of the International Energy Agency's Energy Technology Perspectives 2017 scenarios.  

"Our climate change policy fits with both our vision to be Australia's leading onshore natural gas company by 2050, and with our purpose to provide sustainable returns for shareholders by supplying reliable, affordable, clean natural gas to improve the lives of people in Australia and Asia," Santos managing director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said.  

The report outlines the company's three medium-term carbon targets, which it expects will be achieved by 2025, centring on the role of gas in reducing emissions.  

"The three targets look to reduce emissions from our operated activities and work on step-change technologies with the potential to provide significant carbon offset opportunities."  

Target one is the ‘Reduction of global emissions through LNG export growth' and will see the company grow LNG gas exports to at least 4.5 million tonnes per annum by 2025 to "contribute to the growing demand for clean gas" and will displace the equivalent of 15% of Australia's total cumulative coal emission reduction target over the next five years.  

The company said that overall, Australian LNG exports could reduce global emissions by up to 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year three times that of Australia's annual emission reduction target under the Paris Agreement.  

Target two will be to economically reduce emissions from the company's base operations by more than 5% across existing sites in the Cooper Basin and Queensland.  

This equates to approximately 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per annum. 

Source: Energy News Bulletin

Read more here.

THE last down turn in onshore drilling work at the start of last year saw rig contractors park their fleets until the market bounced back, but now that it inevitably has explorers are cautious that a lack of experienced hands could be having a negative impact.

Received wisdom suggests rig demand is outstripping supply but it could be the people who operate them that are missing.  

Speaking during a half-year results conference call Tuesday Senex Energy CEO Ian Davies said that the view that rig availability is tight was not an issue facing the sector. 

"I think it is something that is a little opaque in the market. We're out for tender as we speak for rig lines and well services. We understand exactly which rigs are available and it's a fallacy that there are no rigs available.  

"There are plenty of rigs, it is just lining up the actual rigs with the work program and timing. And we've got that well in hand.  

He said experienced rig crews were few and far between, something that came down to the low oil price in recent years which saw experienced hands leave the industry for good.  

"I think [that it is] important to get the good rig hands and the good operators back into the industry because the last time there was a down turn in the industry we lost a lot of people - and they were lost permanently - so you think rig hands in particular the crews that operate the rigs we had a permanent drain across the industry the last downturn.  

"We're seeing some of them come back, and I think one of the things to note when people talk about a lack of rigs, its generally a lack of rig crews that has actually been the issue more than anything else," Davies said.  

He also welcomed recent wage growth, something he touched on in the recently released quarterly results also.  

 "We are seeing wage inflation across the industry [which] I actually see as a positive because the industry was zero to negative wage growth over the past few years," Davies said.  

"In terms of cost inflation, the fact that we're out to tender will bear the results of any cost inflation out. But what we're not seeing material cost inflation across the board," Davies said.  

While rig availability is not an issue facing Senex, Davies did make the observation Longer term contracts like the one Senex currently has out for tender has the potential to encourage people to return to industry, something the company says is already having an effect.  

A Senex spokesperson told Energy News today that while drilling companies lost people over the past few years, they retained enough experienced professionals and are continually developing their workforce.  

Perth will again host the region’s biggest annual outlook event for the oil and gas sector in March at the 38th Australasian Oil and Gas (AOG) Exhibition & Conference.

The three-day Exhibition and Conference will cover a range of topics centred around the theme ‘An Energy Shift’, highlighting changing trends in the industry such as the rising confidence of the oil and gas market; effective transitioning of projects from construction to operations and maintenance; new uses for liquefied natural gas (LNG); and new energy.

The conference program includes updates and insights from Woodside Energy, Chevron Australia, NERA, Deloitte and Scottish Development International and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

“The industry has had a tough few years; however, a recovery in global oil prices, Australia’s world dominance of LNG exports and a resurgence in investment in the sector have set the scene for a vibrant program across all three forums,” said AOG Event Director Bill Hare.

The vast AOG exhibition space will showcase more than 250 companies and provides a unique opportunity for policymakers, operators and service providers to meet, network and debate the future roles for natural gas and oil. Mr Hare said for the first time in 2019, AOG would emphasise a targeted focus on drilling and completions featuring both technical presentations and a dedicated exhibition zone.

“This exciting space has been added due to interest from past visitors and will feature the latest products, technology and services in drilling and well completion from Halliburton and the Society of Petroleum Engineers to name a few,” continued Mr Hare.

The AOG Exhibition & Conference – which is supported by Federal and WA State Government, the City of Perth and the local oil and gas industry – is considered one of the leading events on the global oil and gas calendar.

“Last year the conference and exhibition attracted more than 8,000 oil and gas leaders, policymakers, experts, innovators and educators from 45 countries – including official delegations from Norway, Scotland, Belgium, Malaysia, Poland and the UK. We are expecting to again host many delegations from leading global oil and gas producing regions in 2019, and this provides a unique opportunity to liaise with these influential decision-makers.

AOG 2019 will run between 13 -15 March at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and is free of charge. For more details, visit the AOG website or register for a free AOG visitor pass, here.