Energy boss worried by skills shortage

One of the world's biggest energy companies says Australia's skills shortage is worrying and the government needs to do more to address it.

Todd Creeger, president Australia-West of US energy giant ConocoPhillips, says Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity with its oil and gas industry.

Mr Creeger says there are more jobs than skilled workers available in Australia.

The limited labour pool was causing a wages spike and employees rotating from one company to the next, he said.

"We see the issues around escalating labour costs in new projects, and establishing operating workforces continuing to be a concern," Mr Creeger told an Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association conference in Darwin.

The Australian government needed to play a part in addressing the issue if companies were to maximise new growth opportunities, he said.

Australia's natural gas industry has boomed in recent years, with major projects expected to underpin exports to Asian giants for decades to come.

"Addressing the skills gap is not an issue that any one company or even any one sector can do on its own," Mr Creeger said.

"Collaboration involves government too."

ConocoPhillips employs nearly 34,000 employees worldwide and controls assets of $US143 billion ($A139 billion).

It has a number of projects in Australia including in Western Australia, Queensland and the Timor Sea.

Mr Creeger also says oil and gas companies in Australia need to do better in the construction phase of projects.

"We, as an oil and gas industry, I think, are better at managing the operations phase, and I think that is why you see the number of projects that are not meeting their schedules and not meeting their cost targets," he told the conference.

Source: http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/article/Energy-boss-worried-by-skills-shortage

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