The Australian Conservation Foundation has made a move to stop works on Woodside’s Scarborough gas project that will feed the second Pluto LNG train.
Woodside said in a statement on Tuesday it had been notified that the ACF had
commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia in relation to the environmental assessment of the Scarborough project.
According to the LNG producer, the ACF is seeking an injunction to restrain offshore project activities.
Also, local media reports say that ACF claims the project would have a “significant impact” on the Great Barrier Reef.
Woodside said the Scarborough project located offshore Western Australia had been the subject of “rigorous environmental assessments” by a range of regulators.
These include the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority, the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, as well as the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority.
Woodside to “vigorously defend” its position
“The Scarborough project is underway and proceeding to schedule after receiving all primary environmental approvals,” Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said in the statement.
She said Woodside would “vigorously defend” its position in these proceedings.
“The project will deliver significant local and national benefits in the form of employment, tax revenue and reliable gas supply in the energy transition for decades to come,” O’Neill said.
Woodside took final investment decisions in November 2021 for the $12 billion Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 developments.
Besides the second train, the FID also includes new domestic gas facilities and modifications to the first Pluto 4.9 mtpa train on Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula.
Pluto Train 2 will process gas from the Scarborough offshore gas resource and have a capacity of about 5 mtpa.
Also, the train will get gas from the gas field, located about 375 km off the coast of Western Australia, through a new trunkline long about 430 km.
Following completion of works, Woodside expects to ship first LNG cargo in 2025.
