View the recording: MEI Seminar #3 - Liquefied natural gas and export
About
The third seminar in our 2025 MEI Seminar Series was presented by Carolyn Au, LNG Adviser at Shell Australia.
The liquefaction of natural gas, first commercialised in the 1930s, has provided a safe and practical method of transporting energy around the world, delivering it from remote and isolated origin locations to economies, markets, and households thousands of kilometres away.
This seminar looked at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) value chain, including the history of LNG, its growth to becoming almost one quarter of the world’s supply of energy today and some present realities impacting the LNG industry, as well as future directions taking into consideration carbon intensity and global impacts.
Presenter
Carolyn Au
LNG Adviser
Shell Australia
Carolyn Au is a chemical engineer with 25 years of energy industry experience in the gas and LNG sector, beginning her career in Perth, Western Australia. After joining Shell in 2007 in the Hague, the Netherlands, and starting as an LNG and gas technology design engineer, she worked variously in research and development and technical support for Shell operated and non operated ventures. She then moved into LNG operations and asset management, spending seven years on Sakhalin Island in Russia, where Shell operated a two-train LNG facility, and then three years at the Shell QGC LNG facility on Curtis Island in Gladstone, Queensland upon returning to Australia. She is now based in Brisbane and continues to be an advocate for how LNG has delivered valuable energy and improved the quality of life for many in the world.
Moderator
Professor Kathryn Mumford
Melbourne Energy Institute Program Leader - Heavy Industry and Resources
Head of Department, Chemical Engineering
The University of Melbourne
Kathryn Mumford is Head of Department - Chemical Engineering at The University of Melbourne.
Kathryn's research interests are in the areas of separations processes specifically ion exchange, solvent absorption and solvent extraction technologies. These interests range from the manufacture of novel materials, to the development of novel thermodynamic models to predict performance, and onto large scale implementation in the mining, energy, environmental and waste water processing fields.
Kathryn currently teaches in the Masters of Engineering (Chemical) program, namely Chemical Engineering Management and Heat and Mass Transport Processes subjects.
About MEI's Seminar Series - a deep dive into the energy supply chain
The aim of MEI's Seminar Series is to give participants a sound understanding of the current technical and economic factors that underpin the Australian energy system. Knowledge of these market factors is critical in determining the changes required to move towards a clean energy system.
Each year, the focus is turned to one of our primary energy vectors, cycling through the major topics of electricity, natural gas, and energy commodities.
In 2025, the focus is once again turned to the gas supply chain. The seminars are delivered by specialists from industry and the University of Melbourne. Read more about the seminars, and sign up to be notified when the seminars are open for registration.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Melbourne Energy Institute and The University of Melbourne.
The Melbourne Energy Institute welcomes broad discussion. Please engage respectfully and considerately with all perspectives.