Scarborough gas venture wins key approvals
Marion Rae |
Woodside has received key federal and state approvals for the massive Scarborough gas project off the coast of Karratha.
The Woodside-BHP Scarborough joint venture has secured the pipeline licence needed to build and operate in Commonwealth waters, Woodside announced on Wednesday.
Approval has also been granted for the Scarborough Field Development Plan that will enable Woodside to begin operations from petroleum production licences WA-61-L and WA-62-L.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said the pipeline licence and field development plan are among the final federal and state government approvals required to develop the liquefied natural gas (LNG) resource.
“Developing Scarborough delivers value for Woodside shareholders and significant long-term benefits locally and nationally, including thousands of jobs, taxation revenue and energy security here and abroad,” she said.
The approval milestones follow final investment decisions made in November 2021 to approve the $US12 billion ($A16 billion) Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 developments.
The Scarborough field, 375 kilometres off the coast of Western Australia, is estimated to contain 11.1 trillion cubic feet of gas.
The development will include the installation of a floating production unit with eight wells drilled in the initial phase and 13 drilled over the life of the field.
The gas will be transported to Pluto LNG through a new 430km trunk line.
Woodside says the Scarborough gas processed through Pluto Train 2 will be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered to customers in north Asia.
The first LNG cargo is planned for 2026.
The Conservation Council has said the project would result in an extra 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon emissions over the next 25 years, but failed in a legal bid to halt the project.
AAP
