Gas Today

February 2009

Industry yet to achieve full consistency under IFRS

A KPMG report has found that oil and gas companies are not achieving full consistency in their financial and reserves reporting.

Gas processing: offshore style

Patrick Cranny

Big industries require big innovations and one of the biggest in the offshore gas industry has been taking place in the model test basin at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania.

CPRS – considering a future for gas

By Lyndsie Mewett and Sarah Robertson

The Australian Government has released its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme White Paper, including a long term goal of reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions to 60 per cent below 2000 levels by 2050. Gas Today looks at the specifics of the White Paper and potential impacts on the gas industry.

Natural gas and climate change policies

By Cheryl Cartwright

As the Australian Government's primary policy tool for the mitigation of climate change, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is attracting numerous comments from members of the gas industry. Here, the Australian Pipeline Industry Association outlines its stance regarding the policy.

Reviewing the STTM

Patricia Boyce, Seed Advisory Director, discusses the STTM and the challenges associated with successfully designing and implementing the new market to meet the design’s objectives and considerations of all involved.

Gas retail deregulation – Victoria leads the way

Cameron O'Reilly

This year saw a major milestone for the energy retailing sector reached, when the state of Victoria phased out retail price regulation for gas and electricity.

Natural gas, naturally better

Last year’s Natural Gas. The Natural Choice campaign to reduce carbon emissions and promote the benefits of natural gas use to consumers in New South Wales has seen so much success that the industry has decided to launch a new advertising campaign for 2009.

Reducing emissions - energy efficiency style

The Energy Retailers Association of Australia (ERAA) is lobbying government to develop a more co-ordinated public policy response to improving energy efficiency for electricity and gas appliances throughout Australia.

Gas – boosting solar hot water

Lyndsie Mewett

The installation of solar and gas-boosted solar hot water systems is being championed by government and industry as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the residential sector. The Australian Government and several state governments have introduced rebates to encourage their uptake. Lyndsie Mewett reports.

Up to standard?

The gas industry in Australia has worked for many years to ensure that all gas appliances, components and their subsequent installation follow one golden rule – safety for all. The Australian Gas Association details the past and current development processes for gas technical standards.

Multilayer gas pipe concerns addressed at industry forum

Today, the use of multilayer gas pipe, also known as polyethylene/aluminium and cross-linked polyethylene/aluminium macro-composite pipe, for domestic gas piping systems is widespread. However concerns have been raised by consumer, government and industry representatives about possible incompatibilities when repairing or extending the gas pipes. The Australian Gas Association held a forum to discuss the issue.

Energy infrastructure investment a must

Andrew Blyth

Australia’s energy networks have recently been tested by sustained heat waves that have broken energy demand and weather records. Even as existing energy grids strain under these pressures, global financial conditions are constricting access to capital to build and upgrade energy infrastructure where necessary.

Can LPG save local car makers?

Phil Westlake

Against a backdrop of total declining vehicle sales over the last year, LPG vehicle sales have been on the increase. With the implementation of the Federal Government’s ‘A New Car Plan for a Greener Future’ scheme, this is a trend set to continue.

From shore to ship – CNG marine transportation

Captain Alan Thom

While compressed natural gas (CNG) is little known in Australia, overseas it has been used as a successful method of transporting gas on land for over 40 years. Recently, CNG technology has also been applied to marine transportation.

FutureGAS – for a forward thinking industry

Gas industry experts, stakeholders and representatives will meet in Brisbane in March for the inaugural FutureGAS Conference & Exhibition.

Protecting LNG

Two new heat protection topcoats have hit the market; ideal for LNG projects the world over.

The simple fiscal meter that’s smarter than ever

A new single-check flow meter that can operate under extreme temperatures, proves that you can do more with less.

New future for gas meters?

A new gas meter could revolutionise the way gas flow is measured, as two concepts combine to produce a unique invention aimed at capturing the right amount of information needed.

Pipe installation ploughs ahead

A new pipe and cable installation process is being recognised as the innovative solution for gas pipeline installations.

A week in the life of a gas engineering student

Samantha Haines

Heading off to my first day of university in 2004, I had no idea what to expect. A stereotypical love of maths and how-things-work led me to enrol in a double Engineering and Commerce degree.

Addressing skills shortages

Nigel Martin

Skills shortages have been a major constraining factor on the Australian economy over the last five years. This year, companies could be forgiven for thinking that a skills shortage will not be an issue due to predictions of rising unemployment as a result of worsening global economic conditions. However, this is not the case.

Considering recruitment? Get your message across

Matt Hewitson

A number of factors need to be considered when engaging a recruitment organisation to assist in obtaining employees. Matt Hewitson from Harrier Resourcing People outlines some considerations pertinent to the current economic climate.

Recruiting for the industry

Lyndsie Mewett

A reliable recruitment process is essential to any industry. Gas Today caught up with a number of major gas companies to talk about the strategies they use to recruit and train employees.

Managing personnel logistics – remote pipeline construction

Nacap recently completed works on the QSN Link pipeline project, located in remote central Australia. The company attributes the project’s success to its focus on its recruitment and training strategy, as well as the help of a good communication system.

IGEM looks to the future while preserving the past

Lucy Rochlin

The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) may date back to the 19th century, but it has a forward-thinking approach to communicating information to the global gas industry.

Cushioning Australia’s gas infrastructure

Australia presents many challenges when lifting, shifting and engineering natural gas pipelines to ensure safety and security of supply. A huge variety of terrain has to be crossed as pipelines run over hundreds of kilometres, often between states.

Covering Australia’s PE pipe needs

PPI Corporation has been manufacturing polyethylene (PE) pipe in Brisbane for almost 30 years, and its presence in the industrial sector is continuing to grow.

Good things come in small packages

Safe and practical, the pocket-sized MC2-IS Intrinsically Safe Multifunction Calibrator proves it can take the heat when it comes to explosive surroundings.

Simple and sound gas detection

No other product in BW Technologies’ history has received such widespread attention, due to a combination of user-friendly simple and sound gas detection assets.

Kwinana lifts off

NewGen’s combined-cycle gas-fired Kwinana Power Station, located in southwest Western Australia, is fully operational and ready to supply 10 per cent of the state’s growing energy needs.

Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline leaves positive environmental legacy

Diversified Construction Corporation has completed building AGL Energy’s Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline project, located in Queensland, taking an environmentally friendly approach to the construction process.

Angel takes flight

The North West Shelf Venture’s third major offshore gas production facility, the Angel platform, has begun producing gas for processing at the Karratha Gas Plant – in Western Australia’s Pilbara region – on time and under budget, despite meeting a number of challenges along the way.

The Vermeer T455 perfects the art of tight trenching

All Track Trenching has recently added the compact Vermeer T455 tracked trencher to its ground works fleet in order to better tackle tight situations. More easily manoeuvrable than its larger counterparts, the T455 is able to compete with mini excavators, backhoes and even larger excavators.

Gas on the North West Shelf

Stephanie Mizzi

Western Australia, as Australia’s number one petroleum producer relies heavily on gas fields in the North West Shelf for both its domestic and export industries.