Mr Barnett also questioned the safety of Inpex’s proposal to construct an 800 km subsea pipeline from the Ichthys Gas Field in the Browse Basin to Blaydin Point on the Middle Arm Peninsula in Darwin. Inpex had originally been considering the Maret Islands offshore Western Australia for the development of the project, located only 190 km from the Ichthys Gas Field Development.

Meanwhile, the Western Australian Government has announced its plans to develop workforces in areas including the gas and oil sector.

The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) has welcomed the plan. APPEA Western Australian Director Tom Baddeley said “This is a critical area for Western Australia if we are to realise the full benefit of the anticipated projects in the oil and gas sector.

“Our industry needs highly skilled workers, and with the number of large gas projects on the drawing boards it is important that we can work together with Government to meet these skill needs. These skills take time to develop and it is therefore imperative that we anticipate and plan ahead.”

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The gas and oil industry will be working closely with government to identify the sector’s skills and labour requirements, and to develop strategies to access, develop and retain a skilled workforce.