August has delivered one of the biggest months for Australia’s onshore oil and gas industry in recent years. Across Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, the industry is transitioning from exploration and appraisal into production, infrastructure expansion and long-term workforce growth. While some operators continue to manage spending and review contracts, the overall outlook remains positive for drilling, well servicing, maintenance and field operations.

For AWCC, the message is clear: the market is changing, but opportunities continue to emerge for skilled and safety-focused personnel.

The Surat Basin remains the engine room of Australia’s onshore gas production. Development drilling continues across the region to support LNG export facilities at Gladstone, with operators focusing on sustaining production through new coal seam gas wells and gathering infrastructure.

Although several major operators have announced cost reviews and procurement changes during August, field activity has continued, particularly around Chinchilla, Miles and Roma. This is creating ongoing demand for drilling crews, wireline, well servicing, civil construction, pipeline maintenance and safety-critical training.

The Cooper Basin remains one of Australia’s most established conventional oil and gas regions. Rather than large-scale greenfield development, activity is centred on production optimisation, workovers, well intervention and extending the life of producing assets.

For contractors, this means continued opportunities in coil tubing, cementing, stimulation, production testing and integrity management. Experienced crews capable of moving between drilling and intervention work remain highly valued across the basin.

The Bowen Basin continues to be an important contributor to Queensland’s gas reserves. Updated national reserve data shows significant increases in both proven reserves and future gas resources across the Bowen Basin during 2025–26, reinforcing its long-term importance to east coast gas supply.

Development activity is expected to continue as operators work to maintain supply into Queensland’s LNG network and domestic gas market.

The biggest industry story this month came from the Northern Territory.

For the first time, gas from the Beetaloo Basin began flowing into the Northern Territory’s gas network through APA Group’s newly commissioned Sturt Plateau Pipeline. This marks the transition from years of exploration and hydraulic fracturing trials into commercial production.

The milestone is significant because it unlocks future pipeline expansion, additional drilling campaigns and increased demand for hydraulic fracturing, drilling, logistics and well control expertise across northern Australia.

Looking ahead, AWCC expects continued demand for:

• Drilling and well servicing personnel.
• High Risk Work licence holders.
• IWCF-certified supervisors and drillers.
• Confined space, gas testing and rescue capability.
• Entry-level workers prepared through structured industry training.

Australia’s onshore sector is entering a new phase where skilled people will remain one of the industry’s most valuable resources. As projects expand across multiple basins, investing in recognised training and maintaining competency will continue to separate work-ready personnel from the rest of the market.

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