A community’s guide to best practice local content solutions

Abstract

One single coal seam gas (CSG) project can have a big effect on a region. When multiple projects are developed simultaneously, the hurdles for regional businesses to jump are many and varied, and each proponent of a CSG project has their own safety standards, pre-qualification requirements, unique systems and timeframes. This paper will look at the Surat Basin as a target area and provide a synopsis of how CSG projects in the region affected local communities. It will explore how a region with an in-depth knowledge of its own business community can work with proponents and contractors to deliver a better product, at a lower cost, with an arguably better safety record and less community interruption. Collected examples will show how a coordinated approach to local content can provide win–win outcomes for communities and industry.