Statement of Endorsement for the Australasian Oil and Gas 2009 Conference and Exhibition

Statement of Endorsement for the Australasian Oil and Gas 2009 Exhibition and Conference.

I am pleased to endorse the Australasian Oil and Gas 2009 Exhibition and Conference and encourage your participation in this major industry gathering that has been held in Perth, Western Australia, every two years for more than 25 years.

Your presence will enable you to learn about, and take advantage of, new opportunities in this dynamic and important part of the world energy market’s future.

Western Australia is Australia’s pre-eminent oil and gas State, accounting in 2007-08 for about 70 percent of the nation’s crude oil, condensate and gas production (including LNG) and valued at more than $19.4billion.

More than 100 Australian and international companies have interests in the onshore and offshore exploration and production areas of the State and many hundreds more are directly involved in servicing and supplying this massive industry.

Currently, proposed or committed petroleum development projects around the State are valued at more than $115billion.

As Western Australia’s Premier and leader of a State Government that is committed to economic growth, I have made investment and major project successes my personal responsibility.

Expansion of the petroleum sector is a key part of Western Australia’s future, and opportunities to be part of it are immense and include:

• developing and processing petroleum resources;
• servicing and providing infrastructure for our major export sectors;
• partnering innovative local firms in research and development, and in advanced manufacturing.

While successful strikes continue to occur and major oil and gas field development is proceeding, Western Australia still offers world-class petroleum exploration and production potential in its offshore and onshore basins.

Perth is also growing as a preferred location for businesses providing engineering, geoscience, research and supply support for petroleum explorers and producers in Australia and the Indo Pacific region.

Appropriately, considering the AOG 2009 incorporates the first annual Subsea Conference, these include a substantial cluster of companies with internationally recognised subsea engineering, design and operational capabilities.

The Australasian subsea market, which was worth $3.1billion over the five years 2002-2006, is expected to almost quadruple to $11billion over the current 2007-2011 period.

To support future growth, the Government has developed the Australian Marine Complex (AMC), a major industrial area just south of Perth, now home to 120 organisations with an estimated 5,000 employees providing training, engineering, research and manufacturing support to the resources, marine, shipbuilding and defence industries.

Since its opening, more than 200 projects have used the AMC Common User Facility for projects including construction of platforms, jackets and specialised vessels for offshore exploration and production as well maintenance and repair work for the oil and gas sector.

The facility is currently undergoing a $174million expansion, including the construction of a floating dock to be completed next year.

Your company is invited to be part of Western Australia’s ongoing success as part of Australasia’s oil and gas industry.

At the AOG 2009, you will join petroleum producers and service companies from countries across Asia including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as well as those from Canada, Germany, Norway, the USA and the United Kingdom.