Maranoa Regional Council Mayor Cr Rob Loughnan opened the forum and provided an overview of the region’s development over recent years including upgrades to roads, sewerage and other community infrastructure.
Santos, Origin, QGC, Arrow Energy, Senex Energy and Shell Australia all provided an update and outlook for their respective projects in the Maranoa and wider Surat Basin region.
GasFields Commission Chair John Cotter said the GasFields Community Leaders Council provided the opportunity for local business and the community to give direct feedback to these senior gas industry leaders on a range of supply chain, employment and other local issues.
“Forums like this in Roma help to build understanding and relationships between local communities and the onshore gas industry going forward,”? Mr Cotter said.
“With global energy prices falling to one-third of what they were two years ago, all industry leaders acknowledged the tough economic challenges and the importance of working closely across their supply chains including with local firms to improve cost efficiencies.”?
Mr Cotter added that despite the current economic challenges, the gas industry leaders reiterated that these projects are now well established, and combined, will continue to spend in excess of AU$1 billion each year in the Surat Basin in ongoing gas field development, operations and maintenance over the decades to come.