State-of-the-art technology and centuries-old culture are combining on a remote site near Roma in Queensland's far south-west to help bring gas to market.
Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham today joined in an ancient ceremony in a state-of-the-art command centre at Origin's Spring Gully integrated operations centre near Roma.
Local Iman elders performed a traditional smoking ceremony to cleanse the new nerve centre where Origin is the upstream operator of Australia Pacific LNG.
"The Traditional Owners are an integral part of operations under Origin's cultural heritage management plan for the project," Dr Lynham said.
'"Protecting and managing Indigenous cultural heritage is something the Government and the gas companies take very seriously."
The Traditional Owners have also been invited to name meeting rooms at the to reflect local areas of cultural significance. This is part of Origin's Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan commitments to build stronger relationships and broaden cultural awareness among their staff.
While on site today, Dr Lynham participated onsite as Mandandanji Indigenous monitors identified cultural sites to help inform Origin's on-site operations.
"Advice from the Traditional Owners is critical to managing sites across Queensland's gas fields, including the Surat and Cooper Basins," Dr Lynham said.
"This helps identify and protect culturally significant sites and educate gas fields workers, as well as providing employment and training and business development skills for the Traditional Owners."
The new operations centre will bring together field teams, site operations, mechanical maintenance, contractors and instrumental and electrical technicians and provide staff a bird's-eye view of four nearby gas processing facilities.
Real-time gas data will flow into the IOC where qualified personnel can locally monitor and coordinate the flow of gas from about 400 wells to the domestic market and for export via the LNG plant on Curtis Island more than 500km away.
While on site, Dr Lynham got a firsthand view of another technological advance in gas drilling: using steel pipes in horizontal drilling activities.
"The use of steel in drilling activities presents an opportunity to develop resources in areas that are currently uneconomic, bringing additional volumes to market," he said.
"With Queensland manufacturers looking for gas to fuel jobs, I welcome advances that can help increase gas supply."
