The path to development is open for Woodside Energy’s proposed Scarborough Gas Project, after a lawsuit from an environmental protection group was dropped.
Located 375km off the Pilbara coast of WA, Scarborough entails the development of offshore gas fields which will be used to supply Woodside’s Pluto LNG plant, which currently has a production capacity of almost five million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).
The company is planning an expansion of Pluto alongside the Scarborough Project, which will boost the plant’s production capacity by another 5Mtpa. It is understood that most of the LNG currently produced at Pluto is sold to customers in Asia.
The Australian Conversation Foundation (ACF) first challenged Scarborough’s environmental approval in 2022, presenting a legal hurdle that barred the way to development.
However, after two years the ACF and Woodside have agreed to dismiss the case.
“Last week, it became apparent that the case was unlikely to succeed,” ACF said.
“The reality is that Australia’s laws work in favour of fossil fuel interests.”
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill welcomed the agreement to dismiss the case.
“Litigation against energy projects like Scarborough is an ineffective way to pursue solutions to global climate and energy challenges,” she said.
“The Scarborough reservoir contains less than 0.1 per cent carbon dioxide and combined with processing design efficiencies will be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered into north Asian markets.
“The Scarborough Energy Project will make an important contribution to energy security in WA while providing energy to Asian economies as they decarbonise.”
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