The APPEA 2023 Conference & Exhibition has begun in Adelaide, with over 2000 people gathered for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest oil and gas conference to track how the sector is pushing the energy revolution to net zero.
The Conference theme, “Lead, shape, innovate – accelerating to net zero,” emphasises net zero technologies including carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) and low-carbon hydrogen and how the sector is key to a low-emission energy system.
With primary partners Woodside Energy and ExxonMobil Australia, the next three days at the Adelaide Convention Centre will feature energy industry experts from Australia and across the world and over 120 exhibitors displaying cutting-edge technologies reshaping the sector.
APPEA Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the APPEA 2023 Conference & Exhibition shows how the gas sector is driving emissions reductions towards a cleaner energy future.
“Natural gas is important because it is backing up renewables in electricity, supporting major industries such as manufacturing and being used to create everyday products. The industry’s expertise is also critical in rolling out CCUS and kick-starting low-carbon hydrogen. And while we’re delivering energy security and emissions reductions, we will be among the biggest taxpayers in Australia, delivering over $16 billion to governments this year to help build schools, roads and hospitals,” McCulloch stated.
APPEA Chair and Woodside Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Meg O’Neill, Santos Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Kevin Gallagher, and Shell Australia EVP Integrated Gas Australia and Country Chair Tony Nunan will speak at the conference, along with global experts such as Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy Prof Jason Bordoff.
Former Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Glenn R Stevens AC is set to give the lead address.
In the Technical and Business Program, industry experts will investigate the challenges and opportunities confronting the sector, ranging from net zero pathways and health and safety to the east coast energy system crisis of the previous winter.
APPEA South Australia Director David Slama stated that South Australia has long been central to Australia’s energy requirements, while also understanding the future challenges.
“South Australia is such a perfect place to hold an event with a great oil and gas history going back decades while looking towards a future of lower emissions on the path to net zero,” he said.
According to Slama, the State is committed to a sustainable energy future, as evidenced by its own energy system.
“They have the building blocks of net zero already present — renewables partnering with gas in electricity generation, progressing low-carbon hydrogen production and building major emissions reduction projects like Santos and Beach Energy’s Moomba CCS project,” Slama added.
