Woodside Energy, operator for and on behalf of the Scarborough Joint Venture, has received key primary approvals from the Commonwealth-Western Australian Joint Authority to support execution of the Scarborough Project.
The Scarborough Joint Venture has received an offer for the pipeline licence to construct and operate the Scarborough pipeline in Commonwealth waters.
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Approval has also been granted for the Scarborough Field Development Plan (FDP), enabling Woodside to commence petroleum recovery operations from Petroleum Production Licences WA-61-L and WA-62-L.
These milestones follow final investment decisions made in November 2021 to approve the US$12.0 billion (100 per cent, $6.9 billion Woodside share) Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 developments.
Scarborough gas processed through Pluto Train 2 will be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered to customers in north Asia, with first LNG cargo targeted for 2026.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said the pipeline licence and field development plan were among the final primary Commonwealth and Western Australian State Government approvals required to develop the Scarborough 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.
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The Scarborough development has been widely criticised by campaigners as one of Australia’s most polluting fossil fuel proposals, saying the development would emit a total of 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2—the equivalent of 15 coal-fired power stations—over its lifetime.
Last week, Woodside announced processing of gas from the offshore Pluto fields had commenced ahead of schedule at the North West Shelf Project’s (NWS) Karratha Gas Plant (KGP).
