Australian LNG—the course ahead
Don VoelteManaging Director and Chief Executive Officer, Woodside Energy Limited
The APPEA Journal 49(3) - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ08087
Published: 30 June 2009
Abstract
Despite Australia’s world class natural gas resources, we operate only two liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities: the Woodside-operated North West Shelf Venture in Western Australia and ConocoPhillips’ LNG facility in Darwin.
Australia is clearly falling behind our competitors in the global LNG business. With hundreds of billions of dollars worth of LNG projects in the pipeline, however, we have an opportunity to become one of the world’s largest producers.
It is an opportunity that we can’t afford to lose. These projects will not only deliver extraordinary economic benefits to Australia, they will play a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions for our international customers.
Australia’s LNG industry is a key part of the global solution to climate change. LNG is a unique source of energy—it is more emission-efficient than all other fossil fuels and is able to contribute directly to the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
For every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted in the production of LNG in Australia, at least four tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are avoided in our international customers, wherever LNG is used to displace coal-fired power generation. This is even greater in China where the impact of displacing coal with LNG for power generation ranges between 5.5–9.5 tonnes.
Industry and government need to work together to encourage a greater development of LNG projects in Australia, especially in these difficult economic times. LNG provides an important opportunity to deliver both industry investment and environmental gain, generating thousands of jobs and helping decrease global greenhouse emissions.
Don Voelte has 34 years of experience in the global oil and gas industry, and has been managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Woodside since joining the company in 2004. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Don graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1975. Don began his career at Mobil Corporation in the same year, staying with the company for 22 years. During his time with Mobil he held a variety of executive positions across the corporation, including US marketing and refining roles. His final position with Mobil was as President for new exploration and producing ventures, with responsibility for world-wide exploration and building and implementing Mobil’s corporate upstream global growth strategy. He reported to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Don left Mobil in 1997 to join Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) as Executive Vice President, responsible for exploration and production international operations, redeveloping global growth and risk management strategy. Don also had responsibility for global crude and product trading activities and worldwide pipeline operations. He remained with ARCO until the company’s acquisition by BP in 2000. Immediately prior to joining Woodside, Don was Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chroma Energy Inc. based in Houston. Don currently serves on the Board of the University of Western Australia Business School and is a Non-Executive Director of the West Australian Newspapers Holdings Limited. He is a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation and was awarded the University of Nebraska Engineering Alumni of Year in 2002. Don is also a foreign Fellow to Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE, FTSE) Member: SPE, ASCE and the Chi Epsilon Honor Society. |
