Woodside Energy, Australia’s largest natural gas producer, expects global demand for natural gas to rise by 50% by 2030, according to CEO Meg O’Neill. Speaking at the World Gas Conference in Beijing on Tuesday, O’Neill said gas will play a key role in the global energy transition.
“There is a strong and consistent message about the need for affordable and reliable energy as nations work toward net zero,” O’Neill said, as reported by Reuters. “Gas is absolutely part of that mix.”
Woodside is expanding its international presence to meet growing demand. As part of this strategy, the company acquired Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG project in Louisiana for $1.2 billion last year. This marked a significant step into the U.S. market.
In April, Woodside became the first company to make a final investment decision (FID) on a U.S. LNG export project this year, approving development of the Louisiana LNG facility. Before the FID, it had sold a 40% stake in the project to Stonepeak, a private investment firm. Stonepeak will contribute $5.7 billion toward the plant’s foundation phase.
Last week, Woodside also signed a non-binding agreement with Saudi oil giant Aramco. The deal includes potential investment in the Louisiana LNG project and future LNG purchases.
In addition to its U.S. project, Woodside is also progressing its Scarborough Energy Project off the Pilbara coast in Western Australia. The company announced a key milestone last week, with the topsides and hull of its floating production unit (FPU) successfully connected. This brings the project closer to delivering its first LNG cargo, expected in the second half of 2026.
Woodside’s long-term LNG supply deals and continued expansion reflect growing interest in natural gas as a bridge fuel in the shift to cleaner energy sources.
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