An updated analysis completed by APPEA – the peak body representing Australia’s upstream oil and gas industry - shows the oil and gas sector supports about 30,000 WA jobs, directly and indirectly.

APPEA executive director Barry Jones said the oil and gas industry makes a huge contribution to the incomes of individual West Australians and substantial deposits to both state and federal government coffers, including $440 million last year to the WA Treasury alone.

“The industry’s contribution to the WA economy continues to grow, with the addition of the North West Shelf Venture’s fourth LNG processing train on the Burrup Peninsula last year lifting capacity from 7.5 to 11.7 million tonnes per annum, boosting the project’s annual export income from around $2.6bn previously to around $4bn,” Jones said.

“More than 50 oil and gas fields across this State produce in excess of $10bn worth of petroleum products annually, and the petroleum industry is by far WA’s largest export earner with $6.6bn of products exported.

“With another 24 fields currently being developed and about $20bn worth of petroleum projects on the drawing board, the industry will power the WA economy for decades to come.”

Jones said there werre about 1000 companies, employing about 26,000 people, providing a wide range of services to the state’s oil and gas sector.

“Some 30 exploration and production companies are also headquartered in Perth or have a substantial presence here. They employ about 4,000 people and occupy a huge amount of office space,” Mr Jones said.

“In addition, the development of the vast mineral wealth of regional Western Australia is underpinned by energy from the upstream oil and gas industry.

“Natural gas now fuels 35 power stations and drives iron ore, nickel gold and aluminum processing industries. The petrol and diesel produced at the Kwinana refinery drives the state's car fleet.”

The industry's importance to Australia in general and Western Australia in particular explained why 1500 oil and gas industry representatives have assembled from 20 countries in Perth for the annual APPEA Conference, according to Jones.

The 45th annual APPEA Conference – being held from 10–13 April at the new Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre – is expected to smash all previous attendance records at this year’s APPEA event.

“This is already the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere and we expect to create a new record this year,” Jones said.

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