Woodside Energy says the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has agreed to dismiss its challenge to an environmental approval for the Scarborough gas-condensate field development offshore Western Australia.
The Federal Court proceedings had sought an injunction to halt offshore activities.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said, “Litigation against energy projects like Scarborough is an ineffective way to pursue solutions to global climate and energy challenges. Such approaches create needless uncertainty for businesses, communities and the people who depend on the energy these projects produce.
“The Scarborough reservoir contains less than 0.1% carbon dioxide and combined with processing design efficiencies will be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered into north Asian markets...The project is supported by and aligns with the energy policies of both the Australian and Western Australian governments.”
Scarborough has undergone environmental assessments by the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority; the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; the Western Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety; the Western Australian Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority.
The ACF had started proceedings in relation to the project’s offshore environmental assessment in June 2022. The development involves the installation of a new floating platform with the wellstream sent through a new pipeline to the Pluto LNG complex; modifications are taking place to Pluto Train 1 to process Scarborough’s gas.
At the end of June, the overall project was 67% complete. Woodside is targeting first LNG in 2026.
In February of this year, Woodside agreed to sell a 15.1% interest in the Scarborough joint venture (JV) to Japanese energy company JERA for about $1.4 billion. And in March Woodside concluded the sale of 10% in the Scarborough JV to LJ Scarborough (LNG Japan) for $910 million.
