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“In response to recent media speculation, Woodside is not aware of any proposal and confirms it is not in discussions regarding a potential transaction with ExxonMobil,” th company said in a short statement.
Woodside added that it “will continue to comply with its continuous disclosure obligations.”
Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people with knowledge of the matter, that ExxonMobil is studying potential acquisition targets including Woodside, as the US giant eyes options to deepen its presence in LNG and Asian markets.
Woodside operates the NWS LNG project and the Pluto LNG project, where it is currently building the second LNG train, which will receive natural gas from the Scarborough project.
The company also recently exercised its right to pre-empt the sale of PetroChina International’s 10.67 percent participating stake in the Browse joint venture to Japan’s Inpex.
Outside of Australia, Woodside is building the Louisiana LNG export project in the US.
On the other hand, ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy started shipping LNG from the first train at their Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas earlier this year.
According to its website, ExxonMobil is on track to nearly double its LNG portfolio by 2030, with projects in the United States, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, and Qatar.
ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods said last month that the company and its partners “continue to progress toward final investment decisions on LNG projects in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique, both expected later this year,” Woods said.
Last year, ExxonMobil and its partners in the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique lifted force majeure on the project.
In Papua New Guinea, ExxonMobil has a 37.04 percent stake in the Papua LNG project.
The facility will be built adjacent to the existing PNG LNG processing facilities, operated by ExxonMobil and located 20 kilometers northwest of Port Moresby.