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Awards and Scholarships

Excellence Awards

The AEP Excellence Awards recognise leadership and innovation across Australia’s upstream oil and gas sector, celebrating initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in environmental stewardship, community and social investment, innovation and technology, and safety and wellbeing. Since 2001, the AEP Excellence Awards have recognised the outstanding achievements of Australian Energy Producers members in improving operations for the benefit of the environment, workforce safety, and the communities where we live and work.

From 2026, the awards will be refreshed and streamlined into four categories:

  • Environmental Stewardship – recognising excellence in advancing sustainable practices and environmental protection in the oil and gas sector.
  • Community and Social Investment – celebrating innovative projects that deliver lasting social and economic benefits to communities.
  • Innovation and Technology – showcasing the development and application of new technologies or leading approaches that drive progress in the oil and gas sector.
  • Safety and Wellbeing – honouring initiatives that demonstrate exceptional commitment to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of people in the workplace.

Nominations for the 2026 AEP Excellence Awards are now open and close in March. For more information, please click here or email awards@energyproducers.au.

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.

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

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).

  1. 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

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