Wood Mackenzie 表示，澳大利亚的未来天然气战略 (FGS) 强调澳大利亚致力于继续成为液化天然气 (LNG) 的可靠贸易伙伴，同时强调到 2050 年及以后天然气在澳大利亚能源结构中的作用。这一策略可能会降低投资者对“主权风险”的认知。

然而，澳大利亚天然气行业吸引投资仍然面临挑战，包括政府干预、法律挑战以及获得负担得起的资本的困难。情绪的转变不会很快。与此同时，政府必须支持和实施这一战略，并避免仓促干预。”澳大利亚上游研究总监约翰·吉布（John Gibb）表示。

FGS 优先考虑在拥有现有基础设施的盆地开发现有天然气发现，以防止国内供应短缺。对现有发现实行“要么用，要么失”的政策，带动已发现天然气资源的开发。这需要仔细考虑，因为资源和基础设施所有权的错位（长期以来阻碍了澳大利亚西北大陆架的天然气开发）和液化天然气工厂回填时间表等潜在问题——这些长期投资往往需要价值数十年的天然气澳大利亚上游高级分析师 Anne Forbes 博士表示：“我们正在寻找新的发现。”

此外，该战略还承诺进一步释放近海面积用于温室气体封存评估，这在近年来备受追捧。 FGS 还承诺审查碳捕集与封存 (CCS) 的离岸监管制度，并采取措施进一步促进跨境 CCS。这可能会鼓励国际社会对澳大利亚 CCS 项目进行投资。

减排是 FGS 的重点，与澳大利亚到 2050 年实现净零排放的承诺相一致。即将推出的六项脱碳计划将解决天然气需求的减少问题，而即将推出的电力和能源计划将涵盖不可避免的排放管理。资源部门计划和保障机制（SGM）立法。

Australia’s Future Gas Strategy (FGS) highlighted a commitment for Australia to remain a reliable trading partner for liquefied natural gas (LNG), while underscoring the role of gas in Australia’s energy mix until 2050 and beyond, according to Wood Mackenzie. This strategy may lower perceptions of “sovereign risk” for investors.

However, challenges remain in attracting investment to Australia’s gas industry, including government intervention, legal challenges and difficulties in accessing affordable capital. “A turnaround in sentiment will not be quick. In parallel, the government must be seen to support and implement this strategy, and back away from hasty interventions,” said John Gibb, research director, Australasia Upstream.

The FGS prioritizes the development of existing gas discoveries in basins with existing infrastructure to prevent domestic supply shortages. “A ‘use it or lose it’ policy on existing discoveries may be implemented to drive development of discovered gas resources. This would need careful consideration, with potential issues from misalignment of resource and infrastructure ownership, which has long stymied gas development on Australia’s North West Shelf, to LNG plant backfill schedules–where these long-term investments often require decades worth of gas discoveries in store,” said Dr Anne Forbes, senior analyst, Australasia upstream.

Additionally, the strategy commits to further releases of offshore acreage for greenhouse gas storage assessment, which has been highly sought after in recent years. The FGS also pledges to review the offshore regulatory regime for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and introduce measures to further cross-border CCS. This could encourage international investment in CCS projects in Australia.

Emissions reduction is a key focus of the FGS, aligning with Australia’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Six upcoming decarbonization plans will address the reduction in gas demand, while the management of unavoidable emissions will be covered by the forthcoming Electricity and Resource Sector Plan and the Safeguard Mechanism (SGM) legislation.