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Awards and Scholarship

Recognising excellence and talen

Awards

Australian Energy Producers offers a number of awards recognising outstanding achievement and service to Australia’s oil and gas industry.

Excellence Awards

Australia’s oil and gas industry has an unwavering commitment to the highest environment, health and safety standards.

Proactive environment and safety management measures are now embedded into the day-to-day existence of Australia’s innovative oil and gas industry.

Our Environment and Safety Excellence Awards aim to reflect and support the safety and environmental principles and leadership of the Australian oil and gas industry by highlighting outstanding examples of performance.

Applications for the 2025–2026 Awards will open in early January 2026.

For more information please contact email awards@energyproducers.au.

Check back soon for more details and submission information.

Click here to find out more about the 2024-2025 Awards.

Reg Sprigg Medal

The Australian Energy Producers Board awards the Reg Sprigg Gold Medal to recognise an individual’s outstanding service in promoting the Australian oil and gas exploration and production industry’s objectives.

Introduced in 1989 as the APEA Gold Medal, this award was renamed the Reg Sprigg Gold Medal in 1995 to commemorate the exceptional contributions Dr Reginald Sprigg AO (1919-1994) provided to the petroleum industry as a geologist, company executive and APEA’s founding Chairman.

The Medal honours a lifetime of exceptional leadership and service to Australia’s oil and gas industry, recognising an individual whose contributions have made a profound and lasting impact on our industry and promoted the objectives of Australia’s oil and gas exploration and production sector.

The 2025 Reg Sprigg Gold Medal was awarded to Mr Charles Goode AC, a standout figure whose influence has helped shape the direction and growth of the industry over more than five decades.

For further details, including past winners, see the member portal or email awards@energyproducers.au.

Lewis G Weeks Medal

The Australian Energy Producers Board awards the Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal to commemorate the contribution of Dr Weeks’ pioneering geological work in Bass Strait and its contribution to Australian petroleum exploration.

To be considered for this award, a candidate must have made an outstanding contribution to the art, science or practice of petroleum exploration. Past recipients have demonstrated distinguished service to the industry in the development or application of exploration techniques, or in teaching.

In recognition of a leader whose career has advanced excellence in petroleum exploration and geoscience, Dr Geoffrey O’Brien was awarded the 2025 Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal.

For further details, including past winners, see the member portal or email awards@energyproducers.au.

Honorary Life Members

The Australian Energy Producers constitution allows its Board to award Honorary Life Membership to a person for meritorious or worthy service to the industry, recognising excellence and commitment in striving to meet its objectives, while the Association’s Gold Medals (the Reg Sprigg and Lewis G Weeks awards) acknowledge outstanding leadership and technical excellence.

For further details, including past winners, see the member portal or email awards@energyproducers.au. 

Scholarships

Australian Energy Producers Education Scholarship Program

Australian Energy Producers is proud to launch a renewed Education Scholarship Program to support the next generation of energy professionals. This new program replaces the legacy KA Richards and Tony Noon scholarships with a modern, inclusive, and forward-looking framework that reflects the Australian oil and gas industry’s focus on energy security, decarbonisation, and low-emission technologies.

Building skills for Australia’s energy future

The program supports both practical training and academic study, offering opportunities for:

  • TAFE students to build hands-on technical and trade skills, and
  • University students to expand their expertise – including trades and technical fields such as engineering, communications, and environmental science and energy policy.

By supporting students at all levels, the program aims to prepare future leaders to play an active role in shaping Australia’s energy future.

Scholarship Opportunities

1. Australian Energy Producers Scholarship

Value: $20,000 per annum for up to three years.

Includes: Attendance at the Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition in Adelaide, May 2026 (flights, accommodation, and registration included).

2. Australian Energy Producers Conference Award

One recipient will receive support to attend the Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition in Adelaide, May 2026 (flights, accommodation, and registration included).

Applications

  • Open: Applications are open now
  • Close: Friday, 28 November 2025

Application forms, selection criteria, and full terms & conditions are available here:

For inquiries, please contact awards@energyproducers.au

Previous Scholarships

Australian Energy Producers’ scholarship legacy includes the KA Richards Scholarship and the Tony Noon Memorial Scholarship, which have supported dozens of talented students pursuing careers in Australia’s oil and gas sector.

KA Richards Scholarship

Established in 1989, the KA Richards Scholarship encouraged students in oil and gas-related disciplines to pursue a career in the industry. Named in honour of Dr. Ken Richards, APEA Chair (1982–83) and a highly regarded member of its Council, the scholarship supported postgraduate study – up to three years for a PhD or one year for a Master’s degree – with funding of up to $10,000 per year.

Dr. Richards was renowned for building partnerships with educational institutions to promote the industry as a strong and rewarding career pathway.

Tony Noon Memorial Scholarship

The Tony Noon Memorial Scholarship recognised outstanding students at Honours, Master’s, or PhD level pursuing studies related to upstream petroleum – including exploration, safety, engineering, environmental management, economics, and law.

Established in recognition of Tony Noon, who made exceptional contributions to Australian Energy Producers (then APPEA) from 1994 to 1998, serving the Health, Safety & Production and Exploration Committees, the award provided a one-off grant of up to $3,000.

Following his passing in 1998, the scholarship fund was created to honour his legacy and dedication to the industry.

Further information on previous scholarships is available via the members’ portal, or for non-members, by emailing awards@energyproducers.au.