Woodside's Scarborough gas project under fire, as final decision edges closer

Woodside is set to make a final investment decision on a major LNG project in Western Australia's north within weeks, but opponents are vowing to push on with their attempts to stop it. Key points: The project involves developing Woodside's Scarborough gas field and expanding its Pluto facility Conservationists are worried about the millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions it will emit annually But Woodside says the project has been through rigorous environmental assessment processes The project — which has been labelled Australia's biggest new fossil fuel investment in nearly a decade — involves developing the Scarborough gas field, west of Karratha, and expanding its current Pluto facility on the Burrup Peninsula in the Pilbara, where the gas would go for processing. The concern from environmental groups is that the expanded Pluto project would further increase WA's emissions, with Woodside estimating the upgraded plant would emit 3.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gases a year. "Scarborough gas project and Pluto LNG is a lower C02 exposed project relative to other projects," Mr Allen said. Mr Allen said the Scarborough project would account for about 10 per cent of Australia's LNG exports going forward which was a "significant uplift" from the current Pluto site.