New market for the NT's gas industry Thursday, 25 August 2016

Antoon Boey, Executive General Manager Business Development at Jemena, discusses the opportunities the Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP) will bring to the north and shares his view on the conversations the industry should be having right now. Hear more from Antoon Boey at NT Resources Week on 14 to 15 September. Antoon Boey leads a team responsible for evaluating new business opportunities, enhancing and diversifying Jemena’s asset and infrastructure footprint. 

 

Q: Once the project is operational, what are the major benefits the NGP will open up for the Northern Territory’s gas industry?

AB: Providing a link for Northern Territory gas to flow directly to a key trading location could significantly change the dynamics of the east coast gas market. Competitive prices and more choice will make the NT a substantial new supplier for east coast buyers, accelerating the development and viability of the NT gas sector, which in turn will benefit all gas consumers.

By building and operating this pipeline, we look forward to contributing to the Territory’s economic growth and prosperity for many years to come. Once sufficient gas is proved up and available to transport, Jemena’s long-term vision is to build a further connection from Mount Isa to the Wallumbilla hub on Queensland’s east coast.

Q: The project is expected to bring opportunities for local businesses, can you tell us about these opportunities and how businesses can get involved in the next 12 to 18 months?

AB: We expect that during planning, construction and commissioning, the NGP project will create around 900 jobs. We are focusing on sourcing labour from close to the project area – in the Tennant Creek and Barkley areas of NT, and the Mount Isa region in western Queensland.

Jemena has implemented a business investment fund to assist small and medium enterprises in the NT and Mount Isa areas. It is designed to build local capability and capacity, and to assist those businesses to participate in the project.

We are launching a recruitment website in September featuring jobs and training opportunities, and available contracts on the project can be viewed here: 

Northern Gas Pipeline and Northern Gas Pipeline Construction

Q: What conversations will you have with your peers when you attend the 22nd South East Asia Australia Offshore & Onshore Conference (SEAAOC) gathering in September?

AB: I am most looking forward to discussions with my peers from industry, governments, regulators and gas customers regarding how we can all work together towards the goal of developing a robust and sustainable gas industry, not just in the Northern Territory, but across the nation.

Energy projects in Australia have been experiencing much tougher investment hurdles in recent times, whether it be the current softness in oil prices, or increasing labour and other costs in the sector.

As a sector, by which I mean the energy exploration, development and delivery sector, we can’t let these short term constraints drive overly conservative investment decisions. An excess of caution will mean that we are not ready to take advantage of better prices once economic conditions improve.

To capitalise on the opportunity for economic and social advancement, which is there because of Australia’s vast volumes of gas, all parts of the supply chain have to work together to stay cost-competitive. Governments and regulators also have a critical role to play in creating the right environment to attract the necessary investment.


Sponsored submission provided by Kim Aldridge, Conference Director of SEAAOC, who interviewed Antoon Boey ahead of his presentation at NT Resources Week 14-15 September 2016 at the Darwin Convention Centre.

 

Main image: Map of the Nothern Gas Pipeline.