John Stuart-Robertson welcomes The Australian Pipeliner’s readers to the new edition of the magazine.
Welcome to the latest edition of The Australian Pipeliner. The year has started firmly with well-attended networking evenings, golf days, and a series of technical seminars and symposiums, with events stretching from New Plymouth in New Zealand to Perth.
In particular, I wanted to mention the mini-seminars held as part of the networking evenings. This is a new initiative designed to provide both excellent networking opportunities and valuable insights through informative seminar sessions. I encourage you to attend the next one, and if you have something that you would like to share, the mini-seminar is a great format to do it in. It has been great catching up with many industry participants with significant ongoing projects nationwide.
Also occurring in the first part of the year was the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook Conference in Sydney. Again, it was well-attended, with several keynote presentations from many APGA members, including our Chief Executive Officer, Steve Davies, and National Policy Manager, Jordan McCollum.
A key theme of this conference was unlocking potential gas supply opportunities. While we have seen a positive shift in the public debate, with the role of gas in the energy transition becoming more widely understood and accepted, it needs to translate into releasing the potential of our domestic supply. This reinforces our need to engage with policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders to advocate for policies that support new opportunities.
The infrastructure of our industry plays a crucial role in Australia’s energy mix, in its use for electricity generation, heating, industrial processes, and as a feedstock for various industries. Our Future Fuels CRC (FFCRC) focuses on technologies, systems, and markets while supporting social acceptance, public safety, and supply security.
This edition of the magazine features the critical work that the FFCRC have been completing and a focus on collaborating with industry partners, research institutions, and government agencies to develop and deploy innovative technologies for emission reduction. Recognising the strategic importance of fostering international collaboration and addressing the future of gas infrastructure, APGA has awarded five scholarships to Young Pipeline Professionals and Women in Pipelines members to facilitate their attendance at the Emerging Fuels Symposium in Greece in May 2024. The Emerging Fuels Symposium, a new initiative highly relevant to the global industry, is an opportunity to discuss and exchange insights on emerging trends.
During the past few years, several long-distance, cross-country pipelines have been delivered in Western Australia, which is our regional focus for this edition. With several projects underway and future development planned, it is a timely review. Future projects for water supply, desalination, gas pipelines to power generation, and hydrogen and alternative fuel initiatives headline the future opportunities in the ‘pipeline’.
The Secretariat has been working hard to prepare for our Annual Convention in Adelaide from 12 to 15 of October 2024 at the convention centre. Adelaide always puts on a great show when we visit each time. Registrations are now open, and event program details can be found on our website. As our flagship event, it facilitates knowledge exchange through comprehensive business sessions, while the planned social gatherings foster extensive networking opportunities. An important part of the Convention is the Annual award presentations. APGA presents awards to individuals and companies in recognition of their services to the nation’s pipeline industry. There are six annual awards with nominations currently open. I encourage all members to put found their nominations which are also open now.
Stay safe and I look forward to seeing you at the next event.
This article featured in the May edition of The Australian Pipeliner.
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