The Australian oil and gas sector is expected to create an additional 2280 production jobs by the end of 2026, according to a workforce forecasting report by the Australian Resources and Energy Group AMMA.
Despite a year where the oil price fell and growth in Australian sector was hit, the Resources and Energy Workforce Forecast (2021-2026) found that demand for skills is high.
The positions currently on offer, for example, include 952 trade technicians, 532 production technicians / operators and 487 management and supervisory roles.
AMMA is confident that these statistics, which are guided by a number of industry-verified modelling techniques, will continue to fuel fierce competition for skilled operators and trade technicians.
In Western Australia, the latter stages of the modelled period belong to the liquified natural gas (LNG), gas and petroleum sector.
Six projects, led by Woodside’s Scarborough and Browse LNG projects, are forecast to account for 1525 additional production phase employees by the end of 2026.
AMMA reported that this should see WA’s LNG industry grow by 15 per cent in direct workforce terms over this period.
Queensland’s workforce will increase by 260 following further investments by Arrow Energy and Senex Energy in the state’s natural gas sector.
The Santos Barossa backfill to Darwin LNG project is the only oil, gas and energy development scheduled for completion in the Northern Territory over the next six years.
AMMA expects the expansion will be fully operational in 2024 and require 105 new direct employees.
Santos continues to create job opportunities, with its Narrabri coal seam gas project in New South Wales generating demand for 200 employees in 2023.
In addition, the Port Kembla gas terminal may require 50 employees in 2022.
However, Victoria has 5800 oil and gas employees, but just two projects advanced in its pipeline – AGL’s LNG import terminal and APA’s Orbost gas plant.
AMMA has forecast that the two projects will require 70 employees combined to operate by 2023.
“To grow resources and energy jobs both states will need to convert new projects from early feasibility into committed investment,” the report stated.
AMMA chief executive Steve Knott said it was positive to see investment and employment growth driven by an array of commodities, including coal, gold, LNG, iron ore and a variety of other metals and critical minerals.
“This data shows the huge opportunity for Australia’s resources and energy industry to lead the country’s economy and labour market out of the COVID-19 recession,” Knott said.
“But the industry needs long overdue regulatory reform to assist in securing these opportunities.”