Latest News — Gas Today — The magazine for Australia’s natural gas industry

A new shift in the global energy scene: Australian shale

Beach Energy’s Holdfast-1 well became Australia’s first exploratory shale gas well in South Australia’s Cooper Basin on 12 July 2011. Gas Today Associate Editor Lauren Molan speaks with Managing Director Reg Nelson to discuss how the junior explorer turned an unconventional idea into a real-life revolution, and sheds light on the future of Australia’s newly established shale industry.

Improving LNG production efficiency with cryogenic pressure swing adsorption

A number of major LNG developments are ramping up across Australia and it is important to ensure that when in operation, these projects run efficiently with as little negative environmental impact as possible. Professor Eric May and PhD candidate Thomas Saleman explain the extensive research they have undertaken to develop an innovative way to improve LNG production.

SynCat to benefit gas-to-liquid technology

Wed, 22 June 2011 The Federal Government has launched Australia’s first synthetic fuels facility at the Australian Resources Research Centre in Western Australia's Technology Park in Perth.

Women in Energy: Gas

FutureGAS 2011 concluded with a panel session and networking event for women in the gas industry, held at sponsor Deloitte’s offices from 6.30–8.30pm, which focused on how women might help meet looming skills shortages in the natural gas sector.

Metering gas for Gorgon

Enerflex has been developing a suite of project execution procedures to demonstrate how the company will construct the domestic gas custody transfer meter station for the Chevron-operated Gorgon LNG Development.

Business marketing: the value of advertising online

Does your marketing plan include a budget for online ads? Find out why placing advertisements online is no longer an optional extra.

Tailored logistics solutions for large-scale LNG projects

With large LNG developments planned for remote parts of Australasia including Papua New Guinea, global energy contractors face the difficult task of undertaking significant construction activities in regions with minimal supporting infrastructure.

GC made easy: integrating process gas chromatographs

A process Gas Chromatograph (GC) detects multiple components and produces many process variables, making hardwiring each signal impractical. Early digital communication protocols required laborious system integration. Modern GCs now use Foundation Fieldbus to communicate with the DCS and intelligent device management software with virtually no customisation needed.

Sustainable super vessel leads industry innovation

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has introduced the Mark V vessel, a new roll-on/roll-off super vessel that supports high, heavy and breakbulk cargo.

B&R Enclosures keeps hazardous material under wraps

Any area where flammable liquids, vapours, gases or combustible dusts are likely to occur in sufficient quantities to cause fire or explosion has the potential to be classified as a hazardous area. Australia’s largest enclosure manufacturer, B&R Enclosures has established B&R Ex Systems, a new division specialising in hazardous area electrical equipment.

Tips for lean CSG facility design

Coal seam gas developments offer unique challenges to gas plant design and processing due to the low well productivity, low wellhead flowing pressures and the large number of wells required compared to conventional gas wells. Uhde Shedden Australia has developed the Lean Engineering approach to deliver substantial cost and schedule savings when designing CSG facilities.

Gas-to-liquids: another fuel from natural gas

Gas-to-liquids technology can help produce cleaner fuels from remote gas fields – and that’s just a fraction of what it can do. Beach Energy and CSIRO’s Dr Valérie Sage discuss the technology and its potential in Australia.

FutureGAS 2011 – bigger, broader and bringing you more!

Tue, 8 March 2011 FutureGAS 2011 is almost upon us, with delegates from across Australia’s gas industry arriving at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 22 March to network, share their latest developments and hear from experts across the industry.

Best Practices in Pipeline Operations and Integrity Management

Thu, 3 March 2011 Supported by Saudi Aramco and His Excellency Dr Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil & Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil & Gas Authority, Kingdom of Bahrain, the Best Practices in Pipeline Operations and Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition is not to be missed.

FutureGAS earlybird registrations closing soon!

Thu, 3 February 2011 Just over a week is left until earlybird registrations close for FutureGAS 2011, the whole-of-industry gas conference to be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 22–24 March 2011.

Generation growing gas demand: 2010 GSOO

Thu, 16 December 2010 Australian gas demand is set to rise significantly in coming years, but there are sufficient reserves to meet that demand, according to the just-released 2010 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) report, prepared by the Australian Energy Market Operator.

Get ahead – get to FutureGAS 2011!

Australia’s whole-of-industry gas conference and exhibition, FutureGAS 2011, is returning to Brisbane in March with an expanded program, larger exhibition and the ever-popular networking events.

More on board to investigate tight gas

Wed, 20 October 2010 Lakes Oil NL has entered into two agreements in relation to the development of its Wombat tight gas accumulation in the onshore Gippsland Basin permit PRL 2 in Victoria.

Linc teams up with GFZ for UCG research

Wed, 6 October 2010 Linc Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the German-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) research centre, GFZ, to develop and apply CCS technology to the company’s underground coal gasification (UCG) operations.

Lifting the Curtin on tight gas in WA

Wed, 22 September 2010 In order to further tight gas exploration in Western Australia researchers from Curtin University, UWA and CSIRO will work with Whicher Range Energy to study the tight gas sands of the South Perth Basin.

Wholesale gas STTM launched

Thu, 2 September 2010 The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has launched the market-based wholesale gas balancing mechanism at hubs in Sydney and Adelaide.

Make your mark on the industry at FutureGAS 2011!

In 2011, FutureGAS will be bigger than ever. Targeting more delegates, speakers and exhibitors, the event is moving to the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre to ensure there is room for all!

Altona and CNOOC sign JV agreement for Arkaringa Basin Project

Tue, 29 June 2010 Altona Energy has signed a joint venture agreement with the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for the development of the Arckaringa Basin Project, located in South Australia, which will involve a 560 megawatt gasification combined-cycle plant and a 10 million barrels per annum coal-to-liquids plant.

Bright future for natural gas: report

Wed, 2 June 2010 A KPMG study commissioned by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) has confirmed natural gas to be a significant and expanding contributor to Australia’s export earnings and economic growth, with a strong growth outlook to 2030.

Petroleum is NZ’s Crown-ing glory

Wed, 26 May 2010 Crown Minerals has awarded a contract to GNS Science to deliver a suite of individual projects focused on improving knowledge of New Zealand’s petroleum potential.