PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Mineral Resources Development. Will he provide details of recent initiatives undertaken within the petroleum industry to address options for identifying infrastructure and technologies required if this state's potential for developing unconventional gas is realised?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:16): I thank the honourable member for his question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I can remember when the Hon. Mr Lucas was an acting health minister at the time there was a tragic incident involving Garibaldi, if I recall. As an acting minister at the time, I am sure the honourable member knows what the conventions are in relation to questions.

The Hon. R.I. Lucas interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Yes, I remember it, too. I thank the Hon. Mr Wortley for his question. The South Australian government has provided and will continue to provide tangible support to encourage upstream petroleum and geothermal investment in this state. This includes a world-class efficient and effective regulatory framework, with the one-stop shop approach for petroleum and geothermal project facilitation, approvals and nation-leading processes for expeditious land access through Primary Industries and Resources SA. South Australia also has a long history of funding pre-competitive data acquisition and research to reduce critical exploration uncertainties—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Gazzola cannot hear.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I think I will start again, Mr President. South Australia has a long history of funding pre-competitive data acquisition and research to reduce critical exploration uncertainties in under-explored regions, and the stewardship of critical exploration data and speedy cost-effective delivery to companies. We also provide promotion of new investment opportunities nationally and internationally.

This government also funds petroleum education and research through Professor Bruce Ainsworth, the incumbent State Chair for Petroleum Geology at Adelaide University's Australian School of Petroleum. Similarly, we support geothermal research through the South Australian Centre for Geothermal Energy Research within the Institute for Minerals and Energy Research at the University of Adelaide. This government, through PIRSA, is working relentlessly to sustain this state as an attractive and trusted destination for sustainable petroleum and geothermal exploration and production investment.

One new initiative to be launched this month will be a round table for the state government, represented by PIRSA and the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, and the industry. This gathering aims to examine options for infrastructure and supporting technologies required in this state if the potential of unconventional gas is realised from the current level of exploration for shale gas, coal seam gas, low permeability reservoir gas, underground coal gasification and the gasification of mined coal. If just one of these gas plays is proven then truly large investment opportunities will arise for the export of liquefied natural gas and possibly synfuels.

The terms of reference for that round table are expected to be drafted this month. This draft will then be sent to all holders of South Australian petroleum and coal licences, to the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association (APPEA), the Australian Pipeline Industry Association, and the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy for their feedback. The intended focus of this round table will be supply chain infrastructure and technologies for export quantities of unconventional gas, syngas and synfuel, such as exports of liquefied petroleum gas and exports of petroleum liquids, including synfuels and biofuels.

The tangible outcome of this proposed round table could include a road map for efficient deployment of infrastructure and technologies, assuming one or more projects are successful in booking sufficient reserves of unconventional gas to underpin export of LNG and/or other petroleum liquids in excess of the capacity of our existing infrastructure. This government, through Primary Industries and Resources SA, is taking the lead to ensure that we are at the forefront of these new developments within unconventional gas sources.