Australia-based Woodside was established in 1954, only one year after the country’s first oil discovery. Since then, the company has grown from a pioneer oil and gas explorer to Australia’s largest independent producer of oil and gas.

Australia has the 14th largest known gas reserves in the world — the current figure is estimated at approximately 200 Tcf of gas. More than 90% of Australia’s gas reserves and resources lie offshore northwest Western Australia and in the Timor Sea to the north of the continent.

Woodside now owns and operates a number of Australian-based oil and gas assets, and the portfolio continues to grow. By the end of 2010, Woodside will operate six of Australia’s seven LNG processing trains. Plans for further expansion form part of its goal to be a global leader in LNG production.

As onshore project manager of Pluto trains two and three, Mary Hackett is excited to be part of this vision.

“While the company has been producing and supplying natural gas for more than 20 years to global markets, developments of the past two years have brought us closer to realizing our goal of becoming a global leader in LNG production.

“Our AU $12 billion Pluto LNG project is on track to become the fastest developed liquefied natural gas project in the world, from discovery of the gas field in 2005 to first gas in late 2010.”

The Pluto gas field holds an estimated 4.4 Tcf of dry gas. “The second and third LNG trains will allow us to speed up the liquefaction process to bring this gas to market as soon as possible,” Hackett said.

Australia’s largest resources project, the North West Shelf Venture in Western Australia, also is operated by Woodside. Delivering about 40% of the country’s oil and gas, it is currently the third biggest LNG producer in the world.

Meanwhile, the company’s US $4.64 billion North Rankin

2 Project on the North West Shelf will recover remaining low-pressure gas from the North Rankin and Perseus gas fields. The project is scheduled for progressive startup beginning in 2013 and will include the installation of a second platform.

Woodside also is seeking to progress its Sunrise LNG development in the Timor Sea and the Browse LNG development in northern Western Australia.

“Together, these projects ensure the company is uniquely positioned,” said Hackett. “As market demand for LNG continues to grow, we are focused on capturing opportunities and progressing new developments.”

A natural choice

When asked why becoming a global leader in LNG production is the primary goal for Woodside, Hackett explained the benefits of natural gas and the role it will play in transitioning the world to a low-emissions economy.

“Woodside’s aim is driven by an aspiration to be part of the global solution to climate change. LNG is a unique source of energy. It is less emissions-intensive than all other fossil fuels and is able to contribute directly to the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” Hackett said. “We also have a role in assisting international economies, particularly throughout Asia, transition away from fuels with higher greenhouse gas emissions.”

The company realizes the significance of investing in its future. According to Hackett, sustainable development is central to the way Woodside conducts its business. “Developing new business opportunities in an economically, socially, and environmentally responsible way forms the foundation of our strategic direction.”

The company’s Pluto LNG project is an example of this commitment in practice.

“Environmental management plans are in place for the construction phase to conserve, monitor, and manage areas of environmental or cultural significance within the project’s lease areas,” Hackett explained, adding that Pluto’s environment team is delivering the largest marine monitoring program of its kind in Western Australia to minimize the impact of dredging activity.

“The monitoring program will provide early detection of conditions that could affect corals over 1,100 sq km (424.7 sq miles) off Mermaid Sound,” she said.

Woodside also is investing US $93 million in a program with CO2 Australia to offset carbon emissions from the Pluto reservoir. This investment creates Australia’s biggest commercial emissions offset program based on dedicated forest carbon sink planting. The plantings will take place over a five-year period, which began in 2008.

Growth, opportunity

Woodside, a company with approximately 3,200 employees, has established itself as a big player in the global LNG market. The company’s standing, according challenges and opportunities that rival those of international major oil and gas companies. “Woodside is proudly Australian,” she said. “We are headquartered in Perth and have a large proportion of our capability and asset base here, but this has not hindered the scale of the company’s growth. We are a smaller company which lends itself to quick decision-making such that the opportunities are realized sooner. There is a clear line of sight from the work front to the vision of what is a vibrant growing company.”

The right skills to meet the challenge

Building the capability to achieve Woodside’s vision and deliver on business goals requires the right combination of internal experience, new skills, and future talent.

Hackett has been working in the oil and gas industry since graduating with a bachelor of engineering degree from the University of Ireland in 1986.

“I started as a design engineer for the construction of HVAC systems and pressurization equipment for North Sea facilities,” she said. “Very early in my career, I was involved in the proposal team for the HVAC for the Goodwyn ‘A’ facility.”

From the North Sea, Hackett relocated to Australia, where she broadened her work experience. “I moved to Australia 20 years ago and began working with Dawson Brown and Root,” Hackett explained, “predominantly on Woodside’s assets and later moved to Greenfields projects. My final position there was on the Wandoo ‘B’ facility, heading the team for final mechanical completion and start-up.”

Hackett joined Woodside in 1997. “The last 12 years have flown by, and I have enjoyed a variety of roles that support our operating facilities. My key focus has been to drive improvements in technical integrity, organizational structure, and in engineering management.

“I was fortunate to then work in a project coordination and engineering authority role on the Pluto Train 1 Foundation Project, which expanded my skill base significantly. Having recently taken the role as onshore Project Manager for the Pluto Train, this previous experience has been a huge benefit.”

Hackett believes the road ahead will be a profitable one for Woodside because one of the critical components of the company’s growth strategy is to build long-term capability for the organization. “In 2008, approximately US $18.5 million was invested on training through a variety of structured learning opportunities at all levels of the organization,” she said. “This included business and technical skills development; graduate, apprenticeship, and traineeship programs; leadership and management capability development; and compliance.”

There are currently 139 graduates on a three-year graduate program at Woodside covering 17 disciplines, including engineering (mechanical, civil, materials, process, petroleum, subsea, and well), geosciences and subsea, finance, commercial, health and safety, legal, environmental, business technology, and supply chain.

Hackett sees this program as evidence that Woodside recognizes that a talented and diverse workforce is a key competitive advantage.

Don Voelte, Woodside managing director and CEO, underscored Hackett’s view that the company sees the value of investing in its human resources: “Our success is a reflection of the quality and skills of our people,” he said.

Hays recruits qualified, professional, skilled people for the oil and gas industry. Operating around the globe and interacting with key organizations within the industry gives the company a bird’s eye view of current trends. Over the next several months, Hays Oil & Gas will interview leaders within the industry, people that influence, shape, and command the future of oil and gas. Each article will present an important player within the industry, the company’s strategy moving forward, its current projects, and the influence these activities are having on employment.

Author Matt Underhill completed a Bachelor of Engineering degree with honors at Bath University. He joined Hays in June 1993 and in 2008 was appointed managing director of the oil and gas business globally.