Challenging convention, improving safety outcomes and lifting operational standards across Australia’s energy sector, the 2025 Energy Industry Game Changer Award recognises a leader who has delivered meaningful change.
Steven Kunz, Executive Director of Safe Isolation Australia, a JPS Management and Execution Pty Ltd subsidiary, has been awarded for his role in driving the adoption of Valvetight’s Double Block and Bleed Saver, known as the DBB Saver, across Australia’s LNG and pipeline operations.
From the moment Steven was introduced to the DBB Saver, he recognised its potential to fundamentally improve how the energy industry manages passing valve isolations and made it his mission to challenge every major LNG producer in the country to rethink how they managed this process.
Drawing on years of frontline experience, he understood that traditional approaches, which often rely on venting to locations considered “safe”, continuous gas monitoring and respiratory protection, expose personnel to unnecessary risk and operational inefficiency.
Rather than accepting established practices, Safe Isolation Australia set out to challenge them.
“Technologies like the DBB Saver already exist, yet many people in the industry simply don’t know about them,” Steven said.
“Once teams see what’s possible, how you can create a truly safe working environment downstream of passing valves, it becomes very difficult to justify going back to older, higher‑risk methods.”
He also discussed the importance of strong internal communication channels when implementing effective safety strategies.
“It’s surprising and a little frustrating to see that some sites within the same company are already using the technology, while others are not even aware it exists, despite being under the same management structure. Improving internal communication and knowledge sharing would go a long way in closing that gap and lifting safety standards across the board.”
Under his leadership, the DBB Saver has been deployed as a practical and proven solution that allows work to be carried out downstream of passing valves while the assets remain online.
By creating a vacuum between passing valves, or within the cavity of a single block valve, the DBB Saver extracts the gas mixture and dilutes it with nitrogen to a point where what is vented is no longer flammable. This creates a fully controlled and safe working environment downstream of the valves. The technology reduces worker exposure, minimises flaring and venting, and enables more accurate emissions tracking to support regulatory compliance and ESG reporting.
Steven has personally led the deployment of the DBB Saver on some of Australia’s most complex and high-profile energy projects. This includes major LNG facilities and offshore campaigns where conventional approaches would have required full plant shutdowns, delayed maintenance programs or increased risk to personnel. In most cases, operations have continued without interruption, delivering clear safety, schedule and cost benefits for operators.
“The response from frontline workers has been particularly powerful,” Steven said.
“People who were previously working downstream of passing valves in breathing apparatus are no longer required to do so, and the risks associated with working with pressures have been eliminated. In my view, it’s hard to put a price on safety.”
Beyond individual projects, Steven’s impact has been broader and more enduring. By advocating for change and supporting it with evidence, results and global benchmarks, he has helped shift industry thinking away from established norms towards safer and more efficient alternatives.
As an active member of the Energy Club WA community, Steven also recognises the importance of industry forums in supporting that shift.
“It’s a powerful platform for spreading awareness and bringing people together to share challenges and lessons learned,” he said.
“That exchange of experience is where a lot of real industry improvement comes from.”
The DBB Saver is already trusted internationally by many of the world’s largest energy companies, and its growing adoption in Australia reflects that confidence.
At its core, Steven’s work demonstrates what true industry leadership looks like. It combines technical innovation with practical execution; challenges long held assumptions and puts people and safety first.
Energy Club WA congratulates Steven and recognises his contribution to building a safer, and more responsible energy sector.