Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence—collaboration by industry partners, government and TAFE to deliver trained staff for an expanding onshore petroleum industry

Bettina Venner is a energy industry supply chain specialist in the Department of State Development, Government of SA, and project manages the delivery of the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence training facility. She previously worked as a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry at Sasol, Uhde, Chevron and ExxonMobil in South Africa, Germany and Australia before joining the government. Her government roles include environmental protection authority regulator and policy and case management of major projects. She holds degrees in chemical engineering and commerce, as well as a graduate diploma in management. Member: Engineers Australia.

Chris Wood is the manager of human resources at Santos. Chris has varied experience in role discipline, industry and location. He has had roles in retail, hospitality, leisure, FMCG and airline industries, and now the resources industry in Australia. He has worked in the US, Canada, UK and Europe in the last decade, before returning to Australia in 2008. He has an MBA from Oxford Brookes University, UK. Chris is the state president of SA for the Australian Human Resources Institute and represents Santos on the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence governance board.

Kevin Welsh is production manager at Beach Energy, where his teams cover off- and on-production operations in the field, as well as both surface and subsurface petroleum engineering in Adelaide, working closely with both the onshore conventional and unconventional development teams. He spent several years in Calgary in drilling and completion and petroleum engineering with major, intermediate and junior oil and gas producers. He joined Santos in Adelaide in 2001 as a drilling engineer and moved into Petroleum Engineering, helping lead both oil and gas and well integrity teams, before joining Beach Energy in 2012. Kevin holds a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Calgary and a professional engineering certification in the Province of Alberta through The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta. He represents Beach Energy on the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence governance board.

Fiona Mossman is the human resources manager at Senex Energy. She has a law and psychology degree, post graduate qualifications in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Western Australia, and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has previously held executive and non-executive board roles. Fiona represents Senex Energy on the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence governance board.

Paul Goiak has been the director of industry participation with the Department of State Development since January 2013. Paul started his career with General Motors Holden in 1983 as an apprentice fitter and turner. During his 25-year career with Holden, Paul transitioned through several manufacturing engineering and production management roles. In 2008, Paul moved from the automotive sector to ophthalmic lens manufacturing, where he worked as operations director for Carl Zeiss Vision. In late 2009, Paul transitioned to the resource sector, where he was wellfield manager for Uranium–1, assisting with transitioning the mine from construction to production, and was responsible for all planning and forecasting functions related to uranium production. Paul then moved into a corporate role, joining Hills Holdings as general manager of mining services in 2012. He received his honours degree (mechanical engineering) from the University of SA and his MBA from the University of Adelaide. Paul represents the South Australian Government on the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence Governance Board.

Alison Roberts is the director of building and construction, mining engineering and transport at TAFE SA. Alison has been employed with the TAFE sector since 1985 and has implemented a range of programs in SA, interstate and through transnational models. Alison has worked collaboratively with a range of industry and enterprise stakeholders and has provided consultancy in the provision of workforce development strategies, which feature innovation in the development of training solutions. She has also developed close working relationships with the University of SA, University of Adelaide and Flinders University, and has participated in research projects, working parties and communities of practice with each of these universities. Alison has a graduate diploma in both management and education, a bachelor of social science (education and training of adults) and diploma of applied science. She represents TAFESA on the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence Governance Board.

Anthony Behn is a project leader in Santos’ eastern Australia projects department and is responsible for the delivery of brownfield improvement projects and evaluating greenfield development opportunities. Anthony has project managed the engineering, procurement, and construction of the Onshore Petroleum Centre of Excellence operational and static displays. Anthony has more than 15 years’ experience in engineering and project management across several sectors both nationally and internationally, including more than 10 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of SA and has a certified practicing project manager qualification with the Australian Institute of Project Management.