Letter from Australia: Upstream industry commits to net zero
Climate and carbon dominated the recent Appea conference
It was with a sense of elation that Australia’s upstream industry gathered in pandemic-free Perth, Western Australia, recently for the first Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) conference in two years. But attendees face formidable challenges. First and foremost is climate, which dominated the conference. All of the major industry speakers expressed their company’s commitment to net zero by 2050, even though the pathway to this goal in a recent IEA report will require no further exploration for oil and gas—a death sentence for the industry. Despite this, there was much discussion about the role of gas in collaboration with renewables, albeit not something the
Also in this section
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
28 April 2026
Restoring supply from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq involves complexities far beyond simply adjusting operational controls
28 April 2026
Datacentres will guzzle power at a ferocious rate, but the impact on wider energy markets will be far more complex than previously thought
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security






