Perth, Western Australia -- (SBWire) -- 05/05/2010 -- A growing focus on gas and the emergence of non-conventional resources such as CSG and shale gas in Australia will deliver huge opportunities for companies to upsize, despite the familiar challenges of an ageing workforce, according to global retained executive search firm Maxwell Drummond (http://www.maxwelldrummond.com).

“It’s widely acknowledged that Australia has a rapidly ageing and retiring population so it will be essential for companies to focus on investment in skills training and new talent recruitment,” said Donald Baillie, General Manager for Maxwell Drummond’s Asia Pacific region.

The looming staffing challenge is reflected in results from Maxwell Drummond’s annual worldwide trends survey of energy company executives, which has a large focus on strengthening the workforce, developing unconventional resources and preparing for economic recovery after the global financial crisis.

“Our survey aims to tap the minds of leading energy executives around the world to find out what keeps them up at night,” Mr Baillie said.

“According to our results, tackling worker and skills shortages remains a top priority for all companies with almost 90 percent of respondents indicating their companies are investing in employee skills training.”

Maxwell Drummond’s survey results have been released in time for Australia’s headline oil and gas conference, APPEA (www.appeaconference.com) in Brisbane and the Houston Offshore Technology Conference, both in May.

“In Australia, industry confidence was buoyed last year somewhat by the potential of coal seam gas in the eastern states and boosted by sanction of the Gorgon project on the West,” Mr Baillie said.

“There is a new focus on gas and with business confidence continuing to grow, many companies are now re-evaluating their onshore acreage for unconventional resource development.

“Elsewhere around Asia-Pacific, projects in South East Asia have maintained their momentum somewhat as the national oil companies lead the production of energy for their growing countries’ economies.”

The survey participants incorporated a sampling of leadership from all energy sectors including upstream, midstream, subsea, oil field services, engineering/procurement/construction and seismic/subsurface.

Other key survey findings include:

- Respondents believe functional gaps are most acute in the areas of operations, reservoir engineering and subsea, particularly in locations where energy is hardest to recover;

- Compared to 46 percent in 2009, more than 90 percent of respondents would now recommend careers in energy and support heightened academic advocacy of energy and oil & gas-related degree programs;

- Companies with revenues less than $536M (US$500M) believe global economic recovery to be at least 12 months away, while companies with revenues over $5.36 billion to $10.7 billion (US$5B - US$10B) believe recovery to be three to six months away.

Notes to Editors

For complete survey results, interviews and photography, please contact Felicity Grey at Wilkinson Group on 03 9626 2433 or 0401 050 292 or email fgrey@wilkinsonpr.com.au

About Maxwell Drummond International
Maxwell Drummond International (http://www.maxwelldrummond.com) is an international retained executive search firm that works exclusively with clients in the energy and natural resources sectors. The firm’s global headquarters are held in London and MDI has offices in Houston, Calgary, Edmonton, Aberdeen, Johannesburg, Perth and Sydney. MDI’s more than 50 search professionals cover every major domestic and international energy market and specialise in all sectors of the industry – from oil and gas, and mining to renewable.