This could change with a new grant aimed at supporting industry to export its wares to operators overseas. 

The industry body representing Australian offshore contractors, Subsea Energy Australia (SEA), has been granted A$1.4 million from the federal government to support a new technology export hub in Western Australia. 

The proposed hub aims to help Australian small and medium oil and gas contractors access international markets. 

SEA will use the cash from the government to promote services, conduct trade missions and develop export strategies for Australian technology into the global supply chain. 

According to the industry body, it will work alongside the Subsea Innovation Cluster Australia, to promote Australian developed technologies and software for the oil and gas and emerging hydrogen space. 

SEA chairperson Marius Martens said the two organisations would engage small to medium sized businesses within industry to promote export opportunities and upskill workers. 

"A large proportion of the gas that has made Australia one of the biggest exporters of LNG in the world is extracted subsea; and when I say subsea, we're talking some of the deepest, cyclone prone and remote conditions in the world," Martens said. 

"The skills and technologies, which makes this possible are unique and can be exported internationally to bring further jobs to Australia."