EXA 2025 - Day One Highlights

Gas took centre stage on day one of Energy Exchange Australia 2025; it’s critical role in the economy, its power to drive global decarbonisation, the challenges its facing, and its future in Australia’s evolving energy landscape.

One of the opening sessions featured the release of a Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA report, by Chief Economist Aaron Morey, underlining the critical role of gas in Western Australia’s economy, revealing that 51 percent of 853 local businesses surveyed rely on natural gas beyond grid electricity and warning that up to 45,000 jobs in the resources sector could be at risk if a looming gas shortage drives prices to east coast levels if new gas projects fail to come online.

Morey cautioned that the forecast supply deficit would “devastate WA’s economy”, reinforcing the need for a regulatory framework and political consensus that supports investment in gas developments, ensuring long-term economic stability for the state.

With these insights setting the tone, the Future Energy Forum hosted a panel of senior industry leaders from Inpex, Chevron, and Woodside Energy moderated by Jeremy Campbell-Wray from Baker Hughes, tackling the future of gas and its role in a transitioning energy landscape.

While the panel acknowledged the Federal Government’s Future Gas Strategy as a positive step, they stressed that its implementation has not effectively supported existing and new gas projects, highlighting the need for greater federal support. Citing regulatory hurdles, policy uncertainty, and slow approval processes as barriers for investment.

Panellists noted the importance of clear policy alignment, otherwise investment risks being diverted elsewhere, particularly to countries like the United States, which offer a more attractive investment environment with faster approval turnaround times. Failing to act could see Australia lose out on crucial projects, impacting jobs, supply security, and the broader economy.

Despite these challenges, panellists noted that major projects continue to advance, with operators driving investment and progress in gas delivery. Woodside’s Scarborough project remains on track and Inpex has committed to expanding its Ichthys LNG project in Australia with the addition of a third train.

With a dynamic day one in the books, day two is set to explore critical industry topics, including carbon capture, utilisation and storage, renewables, and decommissioning, alongside an important discussion on diversity and inclusion at the dedicated lunch event.