In his keynote address to the conference, Ernst & Young Partner, Mr Paul Fry, said government should consider flow-through share schemes and R&D concessions for oil and gas exploration companies as a means of attracting new investment to the sector. Mr Fry, who has spent much of the past decade working in the Canadian oil industry, said that despite the recent $25 billion LNG deal with China, Australia’s oil and gas sector was still relatively immature and, with the exception of a few independents such as Woodside and Santos, was dominated by junior explorers who struggled to gain access to capital.

The conference is being held at the Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, on Monday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 10, 2002, and following the enormous success of the event last year is already attracting a large number of delegates.

Presenters at the second Good Oil Conference represent some of the most active emerging oil and gas companies on the ASX, according to conference organiser Stewart McDonald.

A giant seafood dinner, which was regarded as one of the highlights of last year's conference, will be a feature of this year's event.

The companies presenting at this year's conference include Oil Company of Australia Ltd, Arrow Energy NL, Amity Oil Ltd, Cooper Energy Ltd, ARC Energy NL, Australian Worldwide Exploration Ltd, Bounty Oil & Gas NL, Sydney Gas Company NL, Voyager Ltd, Empire Oil & Gas NL, Victoria Petroleum NL, Kimberley Oil NL, Beach Petroleum NL, ROC Oil Company Ltd, Tap Oil Ltd, Hardman Resources Ltd, Oil Search Ltd, Indo-Pacific Energy Ltd, Queensland Gas Company Ltd, Norwest Energy NL, West Oil NL, Strike Oil NL and First Australian Resources Ltd.

The Good Oil Conference is a project of Resource Information Unit and the Oil&Gas Gazette. Details are available on 08 9388 2222 or [email protected]