Woodside halts work at Scarborough gas project after Greenpeace protest

Woodside Energy Group has halted pre-commissioning activities at its Scarborough gas project in Western Australia following a Greenpeace protest. The Australian energy giant stated that the protest, where activists boarded the offshore platform and remained overnight, has resulted in the suspension of work. Woodside, Australia’s largest natural gas exporter, warned that the disruption could lead to substantial additional costs.

The company called for authorities to enforce the law against the protesters, emphasizing the avoidable nature of the response. Greenpeace confirmed that demonstrators had occupied the platform on Saturday night, with two activists setting up temporary hanging tents. Two others returned to the Greenpeace vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, according to a statement.

The environmental group opposes the Scarborough development, citing threats to marine ecosystems and increased greenhouse gas emissions. The Scarborough project is 98% complete and was scheduled to commence liquefied natural gas production in the fourth quarter of 2026. Woodside has not disclosed the duration of the suspension or its impact on the project’s production timeline.

The incident introduces uncertainty to the final stages of the development as the company prepares to supply new liquefied natural gas to the market.