An industry with energy for generations
Charles AllenAO
The APPEA Journal 50(3) 747-747 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ09111
Published: 26 June 2017
Abstract
The international oil and gas industry has undergone a massive transformation over the past fifty years and the industry in Australia has been no exception. From a fledgling emerging activity for which major hydrocarbon production was little more than a gleam in the eye, it has matured into being one of the major export earners for the nation. APPEA has played a critical role in this evolution developing policies for its members often well ahead of Government and other industries.
The incredible technical advances made by the industry and the use of technologies developed by other industries have enabled the industry to expand to a degree never imagined fifty years ago. This has allowed the industry worldwide to meet ballooning demand, which will probably continue for many years despite the constraints imposed by increasing carbon dioxide levels. In Australia we have not been as successful to date with oil but Australia will have a major role to play in the coming years through export gas developments that will require sound long term stable policies from Governments. APPEA and the Australian oil and gas industry can look forward to a challenging and exciting future.
Charles Allen was born and educated in the UK. He served for two years (1955–6) in the Royal Engineers in Malaya during the Emergency there. He joined Shell on graduation and his professional career commenced as an exploration geophysicist in various parts of the world and later in production and general management. He was posted to Australia in 1979 as Executive Director of Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Chairman of the North West Shelf Project. He became Managing Director of Woodside in 1982 and retired in 1996 when the initial project was complete. He was appointed AO in 1990 and received the Centenary Medal in 2003. He received the APPEA Reg Sprigg Gold Medal in 1996 and the Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal in 2002. He was chairman of CSIRO (1996–2001), National Australia Bank (Dir. 1992–2004, Chrmn. 2001–2004), Air Liquide Australia Ltd (Dir. 1998–2008, Chrmn. 2005–2008), Australian Mines and Metals Association (President 1989–92), The Cambridge Australia Trust (1996–2002) and The Florey Neuroscience Institutes (Chrmn. 2007–present) and he was a director of Metals Manufacturers (1990–2), Earthwatch Institute (1995–2005), Amcor Ltd. (1996–2005), and AGL (1996–2008). Charles Allen was married first to Angela (nee Evatt, dec. 2001) by whom he had two sons and a daughter. He married secondly Jocelyn Searby (nee Paynter) in 2002. |
