Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU)

We were proud to support Desert Blue Connect’s dinner for International Day of Rural Women in Morawa on 15 October with a Mid West Community Grant. It was a wonderful evening of appreciation, story-sharing and connection. Thank you to the guest speakers, who gave inspiring insights into their personal and professional journeys - Karen Chappel. AM JP, Shire of Morawa President and President of the WA Local Government Association (WALGA); Jenna Denton, City of Greater Geraldton Councillor, GM of Shine Inspire Achieve Belong Inc and Mid West Ambassador of Rural, Regional, Remote Women's Network of WA ; and Serina Ablett, Rural Support Service Officer at Desert Bue Connect. Thank you also to Traditional Owner Yvette Harris for our Welcome to Country, and for sharing her story – Yvette was one of the five applicants who lodged the single Yamatji Nation Claim in the Federal Court in 2019, joining together the Southern Yamatji, Hutt River, Mullewa Wadjari and Widi Mob claims. The Mid West Community Grant Program is funded by the Waitsia joint venture of Mitsui E&P Australia and Beach Energy Ltd and supports not-for-profit community groups, clubs and organisations to implement projects that enhance and promote community wellbeing in the Mid West. Learn more about the grant program here: https://lnkd.in/gvuAukcT

Mitsui E&P Australia (MEPAU) was proud to get behind the Mid West community's Big Tractor project alongside our joint venturer Beach Energy Ltd, together contributing $20,000 to the initiative that was largely funded by donations and contributions from the community and local businesses. The giant, 36-tonne Chamberlain 40K replica was made in WA, just like the 1949 original, with parts constructed in Geraldton by DIAB Engineering Pty Ltd, and then trucked to the Shire of Carnamah for assembly. More than 2,000 people came to see the Big Tractor's grand opening at the North Midlands Agricultural Society’s 'NMAS Country Carnival' over the weekend, and it's anticipated the tractor will encourage an increase in visitors to Carnamah as a destination to stop and spend some time. We recognise the importance of our role in generating community and social benefit through supporting local initiatives, projects and activities. MEPAU achieves this through our social investment programs, and through our joint venture social investments – read more here: https://lnkd.in/geHDUzVD

Natural gas plays a vital part in construction and manufacturing – providing the high, consistent temperatures needed to make bricks, glass and other materials.   Below is a video from the Australian Energy Producers’ (AEP) campaign ‘Natural Gas – Keeping the Country Running’ showing how gas is adding value to Australia’s resources.   For more information on how gas is keeping the country running, visit the AEP site here - https://lnkd.in/efxAA8Dz   #keepingthecountryrunning #naturalgas #manufacturing #energy

We had a fantastic time at the Mingenew Midwest Expo, which is always a great opportunity to engage with regional businesses, organisations and the community. Congratulations to the Mingenew Midwest Expo organisers and volunteers for a fantastic event. It was good to chat with so many people about our local gas projects, carbon capture storage and carbon farming – we really appreciated getting so much interest! 📷 Photo of Team MEPAU by Mullermind Creative: (L-R) Land and Heritage Advisor Marina Rautenbach, GM Land Management and Approvals Kris Waddington, GM External, Government & Stakeholder Relations Victoria Absalom-Hornby, PhD, Land and Heritage Manager Lee Johnson and Communications and Communities Advisor Freya Contos.

A group of Year 7 and 8 students from Geraldton’s Clontarf Academy joined us for a site visit recently, hosted by Clough who are delivering the Engineering, Procurement and Construction for the Waitsia Gas Project and are a long-term supporter of the Clontarf Foundation. The students got to meet with many Clough and MEPAU employees to hear about their experiences and career pathways, as well as tour the site and accommodation village to see what it would be like to live and work on site; and the teams enjoyed having the opportunity to share their knowledge and inspire the next generation. Waitsia Gas Project joint venturers Mitsui E&P Australia and Beach Energy Ltd have recently partnered with the Clontarf Foundation to support the two Geraldton Academies, which host ~130 students from the Mid West.

We were pleased to join Coorow Primary School to celebrate their playground upgrade last month - the new additions of a music wall, dual tightrope, swing set, mud kitchens and pallet cars will support the school's in-house projects and promote sensory play. The $20,000 in equipment was funded by MEPAU and joint venturer Beach Energy Ltd. Pictured: Coorow Primary School students with MEPAU's GM External, Government & Stakeholder Relations Manager Victoria Absalom-Hornby, PhD and Communications & Communities Advisor Freya Contos.

Thank you to the Mid West Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the opportunity to speak at their sold-out July Business After Hours event. MEPAU’s GM Land Management & Approvals Kris Waddington was pleased to give local businesses an introduction to MEPAU and Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers Cygnus CCS Hub project, a Mid West solution for the permanent abatement of CO2 through sequestering greenhouse gasses into depleted gas reservoirs. Pictured L-R: MEPAU Communications & Communities Advisor Freya Contos, MWCCI CEO Joanne Fabling, MEPAU GM Land Management & Approvals Kris Waddington, MEPAU Snr Completions Engineer/Snr Production Technologist Jabin Mullane and MEPAU GM External, Government & Stakeholder Relations Victoria Absalom-Hornby, PhD. Image credit: Mullermind Creative

There was much optimism for ammonia’s future as a clean fuel at last night’s Energy Club WA Industry Dinner, ‘Fueling Progress: Western Australia’s Ammonia-Powered Future’. Made from natural gas, ammonia supports the production of food and many other domestic products as well as export activities. The panel shared the view that ammonia production is important to support global needs, but that it needs to be produced responsibly to protect the environment, and collaboration would be key to this. Joining MEPAU’s Vice President Development Joe Ariyaratnam on the panel was Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers’ General Manager Climate Opportunities Mussaret Nagree, Yara Pilbara’s General Manager Laurent Trost and Peter Tinley MLA, in his capacity as Chair of the Economics and Industry Standing Committee.

We are proud to feature Sterling Winmar for this year's NAIDOC Week profile. Sterling is MEPAU's Operator/Maintainer, working at the Waitsia Gas Project in the Mid West; and he is a proud Whadjuk Ballardon Noongar man. Sterling does a lot of work in his free time to actively promote engineering careers for Indigenous people, working with Curtin University's 'Indigenous Australian Engineering School' (IAES) to help, teach and inspire younger generations to succeed and take pride in their culture. #NAIDOCWeek2024

Central Regional TAFE’s Cert II Autonomous Technology students joined us for a site visit last month, touring the Dongara Production Facility and Xyris Production Facility. The students learned about the technology and equipment in use across MEPAU’s sites from Person In Charge – Perth Basin Nigel Done and Operator/Maintainer Sterling Winmar, who spoke with the students about the operations and interlinked safety measures, giving them an insight into future career pathways. The students had a great visit and the team enjoyed having the opportunity to share their knowledge and inspire the next generation. Mitsui E&P Australia is the Operator of the Waitsia Gas Project, a joint venture with Beach Energy Ltd, located ~16km south-east of Dongara.