Net zero 2020
Iain MacDougall A C , Ollie Glade-Wright A , Bindi Gove A and Todd Berkinshaw BA Cooper Energy, Level 8, 70 Franklin Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
B Biodiverse Carbon, 50 Pirie Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: iain.macdougall@cooperenergy.com.au
The APPEA Journal 61(1) 42-47 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ20070
Submitted: 12 March 2021 Accepted: 13 April 2021 Published: 2 July 2021
Abstract
Cooper Energy recognises the challenge of climate change, the goals of the Paris Agreement and the role of both energy companies and society in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, given the proportion of emissions generated from energy production and consumption. In 2020, Cooper Energy became Australia’s first carbon neutral domestic gas company. We fully offset our fiscal year 2020 Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (indirect) and controllable Scope 3 (business travel and embedded energy) greenhouse gas emissions. The company was recognised for this achievement with the award of the 2020 South Australian Premier’s Award for Environment. We plan to offset our carbon emissions annually, recognising the long-term benefits to our business, the environment and the communities where we operate. To achieve net zero carbon emissions in 2020, Cooper Energy partnered with Greening Australia’s Biodiverse Carbon and invested in the Morella Biodiversity project, at the eastern end of the Coorong in south-east South Australia. The partnership also covers the early conceptual stages to progress a similar project in Victoria near to our Gippsland and Otway operations. This paper expands on the strategy, challenges, risks, opportunities and co-benefits of taking a forward-looking position in this area, which is aligned with The Cooper Energy Values and the direction of the broader community. This includes the decision to favour investment in appropriate high quality domestic projects near to our operational activities over lower cost international projects or simply purchasing offset credits on a carbon market. The paper explores how our net zero commitment will act as a driver to reduce emissions intensity in our operations and add value for Cooper Energy stakeholders.
Keywords: net zero, carbon emissions, carbon neutral, domestic gas, greenhouse gas emissions, emissions reporting, emissions offsets, Paris Agreement, Climate Active certification.
Iain MacDougall’s career in the upstream petroleum exploration and production business spans more than 30 years, prior to which he worked in the nuclear power industry and in automotive powertrain research and development. Iain spent the first part of his oilfield career with international services company Schlumberger with operational and management assignments in Australia, Asia, the UK North Sea, Europe, West Africa and the Middle East. Since 2001, he has been based in Australia. He joined independent operator Stuart Petroleum in 2004, then worked with Senex Energy, Bight Petroleum and Barker Wentworth Consulting prior to joining Cooper Energy in 2014, where he is currently General Manger HSEC and Technical Services and a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Iain is an alumnus of Manchester University in the UK and of the INSEAD Business School in France. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and serves on the Advisory Board of the Australian School of Petroleum and Energy Resources at Adelaide University. |
Oliver Glade-Wright graduated from Flinders University in 2003 with a BSc in Marine Biology. He is an environmental professional with over 15 years of experience working in the petroleum, mining and marine consulting industries in operational and leadership roles. Oliver has extensive experience in environmental impact assessment, approvals, implementation and monitoring programs. He has managed environmental teams for petroleum exploration and development activities around Australia. After six years at Santos, coordinating and implementing environmental approvals and leading regulatory and stakeholder liaison, Oliver joined Cooper Energy as Environment Manager in 2018. |
Bindi Gove (BA, Grad Cert Marketing, MAICD) is the Head of External Affairs for Cooper Energy. She has worked in senior external affairs related roles in the oil and gas and mining sectors for over a decade. She has developed enduring social investments between the resources, community and environment sectors, covering Indigenous education, marine protection and regional health services. She is an experienced member of crisis response teams and has worked on a number of major incidents and activist campaigns. Previously, she was a Chief of Staff to a Cabinet Minister holding the Resources, Energy and Tourism portfolios. Her early career focused on the Australian tourism sector as an economic driver of regional development. |
Todd Berkinshaw has been Chief Executive Officer of Biodiverse Carbon since it commenced operations in 2016. Prior to that he has worked across the Australian conservation sector for over 20 years, designing and implementing large-scale reforestation programs across all major bioregions. He has a background in economics, accounting and environment and has worked across the commercial and non-governmental organisation sector, with qualifications including a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Economics/Accounting. This diverse experience and knowledge allow Todd to recognise the economic value in large-scale ecosystem restoration programs and in creating new finance models through emerging environmental credit markets. Todd has also held several executive positions within Greening Australia, including Executive General Manager (National Operations), National Director of Conservation and Acting Chief Executive Officer. |
References
AEMO (2020). 2020 Gas Statement of Opportunities. Available at https://aemo.com.au/energy-systems/gas/gas-forecasting-and-planning/gas-statement-of-opportunities-gsoo/2020-gas-statement-of-opportunitiesClean Energy Regulator (2018). Greenhouse gases and energy. Available at http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/NGER/About-the-National-Greenhouse-and-Energy-Reporting-scheme/Greenhouse-gases-and-energy
Cooper Energy (2019). 2019 Sustainability Report. Available at https://www.cooperenergy.com.au/Upload/2019-Cooper-Energy-Sustainability-Report_1.pdf
Cooper Energy (2020). Sustainability Report 2020. Net Zero 2020 – Australia’s First Carbon Neutral Domestic Gas Producer. Available at https://www.cooperenergy.com.au/Upload/202011COOP_Productive_02_SustainabilityReport_Updated_Pages.pdf
IEA (2020). World Energy Outlook 2020. Available at https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2020
