PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers Chevron, Woodside, Santos and Shell have volunteered to submit their annual procurement forward work plans to the Western Australian state government as part of an initiative to help local businesses to take advantage of employment opportunities.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan told delegates at the Australasian Oil and Gas (AOG) conference that the two-year procurement plans would make local businesses more aware of upcoming opportunities in the sector.
“The plans will have a major impact in helping Western Australian businesses manage and maximise contracting opportunities and supply chains in the industry.
“They are aimed at encouraging and supporting suppliers to 'gear up' and secure potential contracts by allowing them to develop new skills in their workforces and new infrastructure.”
McGowan said that the forward plans would include scope types, indicative contracts, work start dates and tender dates, and focal points of contact, allowing for better planning of contracting activity and more transparency in the market, and would essentially give small and medium-sized enterprises sufficient time and certainty to tender for contracts.
“The government is happy to play a central role, receiving and publishing these forward work plans,” McGowan noted, adding that the forward work plans would be made available publicly on a dedicated LNG Forward Work Plans project page on ICN Gateway.