“The debate is about energy security,” BHP Billiton vice president Australia/Asia gas & power Bret Mattes said in his opening address.

“The region must shift from its current reliance on Middle Eastern crude oil towards a more sustainable future for all of us.

“We are here to discuss the things that need to be done to facilitate free and unfettered trade in gas. The forum will produce a set of recommendations and actions plans to be presented to the next APEC energy ministers meeting to be held in GyeongJu, Korea in six weeks time.”

The following speaker, Western Australian energy minister Alan Carpenter, told delegates the state was well positioned to take advantage of growing Asian demand for gas and the Gallop Government aimed to make Perth one of the world’s great energy cities.

“We are on the brink of something magnificent in Western Australia with oil and gas,” Carpenter said.

“It’s vital that APEC member countries gain access to secure energy supplies [and] Western Australia is well placed to meet some of the growing needs for clean energy in Asia.”

Carpenter said the state government was working hard to streamline approvals processes for major resources developments.

“We want to see more projects coming into development in shorter timerframes. If most of the proposed projects do go ahead, we are looking at WA producing around 50 million tonnes per year by 2015.”