Santos backed employment program boosts Aboriginal jobs on Barossa Gas Project

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A new Santos program dedicated to training young Aboriginal workers for offshore roles has

helped five Tiwi Islanders and two Larrakia people secure jobs on the Barossa Gas Project, as

the energy giant expands job readiness programs in all of its regions across the country.

As Santos proceeds towards a target of producing first gas out of the Barossa Gas Project in

2025 while also maintaining a presence in the Beetaloo Basin, the company is also expanding

its range of pre-employment courses dedicated to helping Aboriginal and Territory youth get job ready and to take advantage of new opportunities in oil and gas.

Since January, seven young Aboriginal workers have emerged as graduates of a new Santos

pre-employment program dedicated to skilling young Territorians for roles as trainee electricians, storekeepers and roustabouts on the Barossa Gas Project.

Keelan Fejo has a rig job with Santos.

The successful program is just one of several that Santos is rolling out in the Territory in coming months and years aimed at maximising employment opportunities for Aboriginals and young people, Santos chief executive and managing director Kevin Gallagher said.

“Santos is committed to real and practical action to help close the gap in the Northern Territory, and better training and employment opportunities are paramount to any meaningful change,” Mr Gallagher told the NT News.

“Training, education and good jobs are a universal foundation for human flourishing. They are

the building blocks for individual social and economic empowerment, and just as importantly, for stronger, more resilient families and communities.”

The offshore program follows on from Santos’ earlier success partnering with Kaefer to train

local cadets in scaffolding.

In early June, nine Aboriginal cadets earned a scaffolding cadetship and positions in the Barossa and Darwin Process Operator Traineeship run out of Darwin LNG after taking part in the first Santos-KAEFER employment pathways program.

The Barossa joint venturers are ConocoPhillips Australia Barossa Pty Ltd (operator, 37.5%), SK E&S Australia Pty Ltd (37.5%) and Santos Offshore Pty Ltd (25.0%). The offshore development area encompasses petroleum retention lease NT/RL5 and potential future phased development in the smaller Caldita Field to the south in retention lease NT/RL6. Gas would be exported to Darwin LNG via a new export pipeline tied into the existing Bayu-Darwin Pipeline, subject to agreement with the infrastructure owners. Supplied

Over 53 per cent of this year’s trainees are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

“There are currently over 40 Aboriginal people working or training through our training and

employment initiatives in the Top End,” Mr Gallagher said, adding the company’s growing footprint in the north with Barossa Gas Project and a planned carbon capture and storage project in Bayu-Undan meant Santos was ideally positioned to play a leading role in skilling the next generations of Territorians.

“Our local projects like Barossa provide the perfect platform for us to expand these programs

and represent a meaningful step we can take towards closing the gap,” he said.

Former Wanderers AFLNT footballer Keelan Fejo, a proud Larrakia man, is working as an Offshore Assistant Storekeeper using the qualifications and experience he gained during a Santos Warehouse Traineeship completed at the Santos Supply Base in Darwin several years ago.

Mr Fejo, who is now employed through the offshore program praised the program.

“This program offers an opportunity to young Indigenous people like me, and it has given me the chance to meet new people, try a new type of work and grow my experience,” he said.

Santos boss Kevin Gallagher. Picture: NCA NewsWire / RoyVphotography

“I have been well supported during my journey and I really like the people I work with and

getting to work offshore. I would tell other people like me to take the opportunity if you can. It will give you motivation, experience and builds your CV for the future.”

The expansion of engagement programs follows the establishment of a $10m Barossa

Aboriginal Future Fund dedicated to improving community infrastructure, health, education and cultural programs in the Top End, as well as to set up pathways to skilled and well-paying jobs.

This investment will grow.

When the Barossa project starts up, and pending approvals the fund has the potential to receive ongoing revenue of at least $100 million over the life of the project to continue supporting local communities, including economic and employment opportunities.

In February, Mr Gallagher underscored the importance of projects such as Barossa and the

revamp of the Darwin LNG plant that will process the gas to help support local Aboriginal

communities.

“The Barossa gas and DLNG life extension projects are already training and employing

Aboriginal Territorians, and we plan to do much more,” he said, adding the broader intention was to build a long-term relationships with the Tiwi community and others.

The offshore program is run in partnership with training provider Programmed Offshore.

It trains participants for positions as storekeepers, roustabouts and trainee electricians, and provides participants the opportunity to gain skills required to work on offshore facilities as well as broader knowledge and experience to enable them to apply for other opportunities across the oil and gas industry.

Programmed Offshore operations manager Nikki Shapter said it was passionate about Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement, training and employment strategies.

“Our innovative projects and mentoring programs have the end goal of more Indigenous Australian seafarers qualified to work on all vessels and rigs that operate in

Australian waters,” she said.

“We are very thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Santos on this

program to deliver pathways that will lead to meaningful and sustainable employment.”

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