Gladstone Observer: Community engagement vital to future of gas industry

BUILDING public confidence will be vital to developing unconventional gas resources such as shale, a Santos vice president has said.

Martyn Eames, Santos vice president Asia Pacific, gave an address at the Asia Oil and Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, outlining the challenges facing the oil and gas industry.

Mr Eames said to successfully deliver unconventional resources, public confidence and land access had to be managed carefully by developers and governments.

"How this is managed will have an impact on the pace of unconventional gas development," Mr Eames said.

"Just as this industry is seeking to share knowledge on the technical side, so too must it draw upon the expertise and best practice that exists globally to engage early with communities and build public confidence." MORE