Petroleum Conference award winners announced

Beach Energy, Kinetic and Petromac have been named the winners at this year’s New Zealand Petroleum Conference Awards.

Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) Chief Executive Cameron Madgwick says the awards, which are sponsored by Chevron, celebrate success and achievement in New Zealand’s oil and gas sector. This year’s winners are:

• Excellence in Community Partnership and Engagement: Beach Energy for their support of Taranaki rugby. In 2008 the company (then trading as Origin Energy) leased a neighbouring dairy farm to the Taranaki Rugby Union which has been used to fund grassroots community rugby.

• Exceptional Health, Safety and Environmental Leadership: Kinetic for their new electronic reporting system. This involves an app allowing workers to report hazards, observations and events at the press of a few buttons, including photographs.

• Outstanding Innovation in Oil and Gas: Petromac for developing a number of devices that help the conveyance of electric logging tools in deviated oil and gas wells. These innovations have helped the company grow in just a few years from a shed in Beachlands to a world leader in its field supplying the biggest companies in the industry.

“These awards recognise innovation, strong community engagement, extraordinary focus on health and safety, and a proud environmental record. They reflect the great people we have in our industry striving to make New Zealand a better place,” says Mr Madgwick.

Former PEPANZ Chair Rob Jager has also been announced as the newest member of the PEPANZ Hall of Fame after being elected by members.

“This is fitting recognition for someone who has given nearly 40 years of great service to the industry. His focus on health and safety was also recognised this year by being named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (OMNZ). 

“Highlights of his career include chairing the Government's Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety set up following the Pike River Mine disaster, and chairing the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum.”

Rob Jager is also chairman of Shell New Zealand, General Manager of Shell Todd Oil Services and Chairman of Be Safe Taranaki.