The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australian (CME) welcomes the announcement of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council.
“The development and composition of the Advisory Council provides a great opportunity for the policy makers to access the extensive knowledge and experience of the members,” said CME Chief Executive Reg Howard-Smith.
The Western Australian resources sector has had a long standing and mutually beneficial engagement with Aboriginal communities through land access agreements.
“Importantly industry’s engagement is on-going with programs to creating Aboriginal business, employment and education and training opportunities,” said Mr Howard-Smith,
CME’s recent Diversity in Resources Survey found that 4.2 per cent of the WA resources sector workforce are Indigenous Australians. As Indigenous Australians make up only 1.6 per cent of the total Western Australian workforce, the survey highlights the positive commitment made by WA resources sector companies in employing Indigenous Australians.
As the largest employer of Indigenous Australians, the WA resources sector looks forward to working closely with the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council to ensure ongoing improvement in education and employment outcomes.
BHP Billiton and Apache Energy were today announced as the winners of the Western Australia Gas Industry Development Award for 2013 for their contribution to the domestic natural gas industry through the successful commissioning of the Macedon Domestic Gas Plant.
Sponsored by North West Shelf Gas Pty Ltd and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), the Gas Industry Development Award recognises an outstanding contribution by an individual or company toward development of the domestic gas industry in Western Australia.
CME Chief Executive Reg Howard-Smith said BHP Billiton and Apache Energy had worked together to deliver Western Australia’s newest natural gas plant, supplying around 20 per cent of the state’s domestic market.
“The Macedon Domestic Gas Plant provides a significant contribution to sure-up the state’s energy security,” Mr Howard-Smith said.
“This project ensures an additional, independent gas supply to service the domestic gas market.”
The $US1.5 billion project was opened on 20 September 2013 and is a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Apache Energy that will supply 200 terrajoules of gas per day to the state’s domestic gas market.
The project comprises four offshore production wells in the Macedon field and connects, via a subsea pipeline, to an onshore gas treatment and compression plant at Ashburton North, approximately 17 km southwest of Onslow. The project also includes a gas pipeline into the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline for sale in the West Australian market.
BHP Billiton and Apache Energy join an esteemed list of past winners, including the Devil Creek Gas Plant in 2012. Other Award winners include Alcoa of Australia Limited, Sir Charles Court, Bill Rogers, Phil Harvey, Harry Butler, Des Kelly, Eve Howell, Tim Shanahan, Keith Spence, Stuart Hohnen, David Agostini and David Eiszele.