“Such uncertainty threatens the delivery of much-needed new supplies to the WA domestic market,as well as undermining the confidence of our regional trading partners,” she said.
In September,the Federal Court ruled that the offshore environment regulator should not have approved Woodside’s plans to conduct seismic testing for its Scarborough gas development. The court foundWoodside had not adequately consulted Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper,a traditional owner of the area.
O’Neill said the court’s decision on seismic testing would not delay first production,scheduled for 2026,from the $19 billion Scarborough gas project.
However,Woodside has yet to receive environmental approval for any of its plans for other more critical parts of the project,including drilling,installing a giant floating facility and laying a pipeline to shore.
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Without regulatory change,Woodside could suffer the same fate as rival Santos,which was the first to be affected by legal action over consultation with Indigenous people.
Santos’ plan for drilling the Barossa gas field north of Darwin wasruled invalid a year ago,forcing an expensive drilling rig to lie idle ever since.