This year, 29 delegates tackled a range of issues confronting the gas industry by presenting papers, participating in chair sessions and conducting syndicate discussions at Gas Speak 2009.

Delegates were nominated from SP AusNet, Origin Energy, Jemena, Kellogg Brown and Root, GHD Pty Ltd, OSD Pipelines, SEAGas, McConnell Dowell Constructors, APA Gasnet Australia, APA Group, and AGL Energy.

The Hon. Dr Craig Emerson MP, Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, opened Gas Speak this year, which ran from 14–16 September.

Delegates were provided with professional advice on the ‘art of presenting’ on Day One before entertaining their peers and the audience with their presentations on days two and three.

Mentors provided their time and expertise to these very talented people and offered useful advice and tips on presentation and communication skills, as well as providing further insights into the gas community.

The mentors this year were:

• Barbara Jinks – GHD (AGIT Study Tour Recipient 2006)
• Mark Frewin – TRUenergy (AGIT Study Tour Recipient 2007)
• Steve Dobbie – Australian Pipeline Industry Association
• Chris Blogg – Rinnai
• Shelley Reed – Australian Power and Gas (AGIT Study Tour Recipient 2008).

GHD Business Development Manager Oil and Gas Barbara Jinks spoke to the delegates about career development in the gas industry. She stressed that academic progression was an essential part of career development and that delegates should be proactive in advancing their careers.

Another key point made by Ms Jinks was that flexibility was welcomed in the industry: “Do not feel like you have to stay with one employer or in one role for a whole career – as long as you stay with the Australian gas industry, the whole industry will benefit.”

AGIT Chairman Andrew Creek was impressed by the level of competence shown by all delegates and the variety of skills represented from the gas industry.

Among the high calibre presentations, the following individuals stood out to take home the Gas Speak 2009 awards:

• Arie Bansemer, Contract Administrator with APA Group, won Best Presentation with a talk on Procurement as a strategic asset.
• The Achievement Award went to Alexandra Kingsbury, Graduate Process Engineer with Kellogg Brown and Root, for Australia’s energy security future: how natural gas plays an important role.
• Keith Lenghaus, Senior Planning Engineer with APA Group, took out Best Presentation (Impromptu Speech).
• GHD Pipeline Engineer Arun Nair claimed the Achievement Award in the Impromptu Speech section.

Tuesday night was an opportunity for delegates, mentors and the AGIT board to enjoy dinner at The Boathouse by the Lake restaurant. Dinner participants heard an inspiring speech from film director, screenwriter and 2005 Young Australian of the Year Khoa Do.

Gas Speak provides an opportunity for organisations to develop the communication skills, industry awareness and industry contacts of their younger staff and has been a highly regarded gas industry event since 1982.

AGIT also offers opportunities for selected employees in the Australian gas industry to travel to Europe, North America or the Asia Pacific to visit other gas organisations to increase their knowledge of the industry, broaden their outlook by experiencing different cultures and touring with other Australians from different parts of the industry.

This year’s tour is to America and the selected employees will attend the 24th World Gas Conference, which will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 5 and 9 October 2009.