Other issues to be discussed include trade and investment opportunities in Australia's energy sector, energy security, technological developments, bilateral cooperation, renewable energy and hydrogen.

While the roundtables will gather industry leaders from the Australian energy sector as well as national research bodies, Secretary Abraham will hold separate discussions with Macfarlane and Environment and Heritage Minister Dr David Kemp.

"Secretary Abraham's visit is timely reinforcement of the growing energy relationship between our two countries. There's much potential for that to be strengthened in areas of gas, clean fuel technologies, renewable energies and future energy sources like hydrogen," said Macfarlane.

"While the local LNG industry will continue to press its credentials as a future supplier to the mighty American market, this week is also an opportunity to canvass wider energy issues and areas for bilateral cooperation."

Secretary Abraham is the first US Secretary for Energy to visit Australia for a decade. He leads a cabinet department, the US Department of Energy, which has a budget of more than $20 billion.