EnviroSuite, which last week sold its Pacific Environment consultancy to London-based ERM for $15 million, said Australia's oil and gas patch needed to step up its discussions at APPEA around environmental risk management, regardless of whether regulations continue to tighten.
EnviroSuite, a platinum partner of the APPEA Conference, has observed that although climate change is still on the horizon as an issue, holistic environmental performance still continues to dominate decision making within the industry.
EnviroSuite managing director Robin Ormerod said his company had noticed "rapid developments" in environmental regulation at a national and global level.
"Based on our observations, we believe that we will see tighter regulation over the next few years, particularly in the oil and gas sector a heavier focus on operational performance will play a significant part in reducing environmental risks than regulation," he said.
"If key players in the natural resources industry do more in terms of proving their environmental compliance standards through better methods of operational performance, the pressure on their social licence to operate will be reduced.
"However, a heavier focus on operational performance will play the most significant part in reducing environmental risks.
"There is a possibility for a win-win scenario here for energy companies, environmental regulators and surrounding communities."
Global and national developments in climate policies and maintaining a social licence to operate will be key features of this year's APPEA conference, with keynote speakers such as ERM's David Snashall and Sabrina Genter to discuss the cost of losing a social licence to operate.
EnviroSuite has said that maintaining a social licence to operate could be a risk to natural resource companies in the long term.
However, the firm believes that getting ahead of environmental compliance through better operational management will be the strongest defence for oil and gas companies and likely lead to a reduction in the cost of meeting regulatory requirements.
"We've analysed the insights produced by our environmental management technology, EnviroSuite, on the sites that we currently monitor and are aware of the costs involved in monitoring resource extraction sites, ports, mines and other utilities without embracing operational management technology," Ormerod said.
"These costs are substantial, given that we can already significantly reduce them by employing our technology while greatly assisting companies meet their compliance requirements whilst also enhancing operational performance.
"This essentially protects their social licence to operate and maximises efficiency gains at the same time."
