Thursday, January 1, 2026

Saul Kavonic News

Woodside's new CEO must navigate LNG projects with high costs through glut risk

Woodside Energy is facing a leadership shake up after Meg O'Neill's unexpected departure for the top position at?BP. This comes at a time when the Australian company is trying to deliver on key projects in a?braced?for a glut of supply. Analysts say that the oil and gas company will continue to pursue its global growth strategy. This requires continued investment in new assets as well as continuity in mature fields. After project delays and rising costs, it will be important to advance the Louisiana LNG project. The Louisiana LNG project, valued at $17.5 billion, will be Woodside's key project.

Meg O'Neill, BP's new CEO, will be the first woman ever to lead an oil company.

Energy industry veteran Meg O'Neill was tapped by BP as the leader of a shake-up within the London-based 'oil major'. She made an immediate impression when she took over at Australia's Woodside Energy and secured a deal which doubled the company's production portfolio. Woodside's acquisition of BHP petroleum assets, in a merger of then-$28billions, in '2021' boosted the Perth-based firm with an international presence during a period of industry consolidation. It made it a global top-10 energy independent company and a powerhouse of gas.

Woodside's new CEO must navigate LNG projects with high costs through glut risk

Woodside Energy is facing a leadership shake up after BP's?chief executive Meg O'Neill's unexpected departure for the top position at BP. This comes as the Australian 'firm' is trying to deliver key projects on a market that's braced for an oversupply. Analysts say that the oil and gas "producer" is expected to continue with its global strategy of growth, which requires sustained investment in both new assets and continuity within mature fields. After project delays and rising costs, it will be important to advance the Louisiana LNG project.

The new BP CEO has a long-lasting legacy at Australia's Woodside

Energy industry veteran Meg O'Neill was tapped by BP as the leader of a shake-up within the London-based oil giant. She made an immediate impression when she took over at Australia's 'Woodside Energy', securing a deal which doubled the production portfolio. Woodside's acquisition of BHP’s petroleum assets by 2021 in a merger of then-$28 billion?bulked-up the Perth-based firm with an international presence during a time of industry consolidation. It made it a top-10 global energy independent company and a powerhouse of gas.

The new BP CEO has a long-lasting legacy at Australia's Woodside

Energy industry veteran Meg O'Neill was tapped by BP as the leader of a shake-up within the venerable London based major. She made an immediate impact when she took over at Australia's Woodside Energy and secured a deal which doubled the production portfolio. Woodside's acquisition of BHP petroleum assets by 2021 in a merger of then-$28 billion boosted the Perth-based firm with an international presence?during an industry consolidation period, making it one of the top-10 independent global energy producers and a gas giant.

East Timor President says that improved trust will drive long-stalled project

East Timor’s president is confident in what he called a new era goodwill between Canberra, Woodside Energy and his country. This will finally allow the development of an important gas project to proceed after years of delays. Woodside and East Timor have agreed to study a project of 5 million metric tons at the Greater Sunrise Fields, an area that contains an estimated 5.1 trillion cubic feet of gas. Australia has been talking about this since the 1980s, originally with Indonesia. Jose Ramos Horta…

Woodside and East Timor target first LNG from Greater Sunrise by 2032

East Timor and Australia's Woodside Energy have agreed to investigate sending gas from large, undeveloped Greater Sunrise field to a new plant that will produce liquefied gas in Southeast Asia. The plant could begin exporting gas in seven years. In a Tuesday joint statement, Woodside and East Timor’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry said that the agreement requires the two parties to examine the commercial and technological viability of a 5 million-metric-ton LNG project. The plan is to begin production as soon as 2032-2035.

Woodside signs Williams as an investor for Louisiana LNG construction to accelerate

Woodside Energy, a company based in Australia, has hired U.S.-based Williams to be an investor and operator of the Louisiana Liquefied Natural Gas Plant. This is to benefit from its infrastructure expertise and reduce costs as construction increases. Williams will receive a 10% stake of Louisiana LNG Holding Company and 80% ownership in the Driftwood Pipeline, which will provide feed gas for the $17.5 billion project. Williams, which operates over 33,000 miles (53.108 km) of pipe across 24 U.S. States, will pay Woodside $1.9 billion and contribute $378 million towards the project's costs.

Sherry Duhe, Santos' Finance Chief, resigns after one year in the role

Santos announced on Tuesday the resignation of CFO Sherry duhe, only one year after she assumed the position. The Australian gas producer is navigating a period of transition ahead of the start-up of its Barossa, and Pikka, projects. Duhe was appointed as Santos' new CEO in September of last year, amid speculation about a possible leadership change. Lachlan Harris, the current Deputy CFO of the company, has been appointed acting Finance Chief. Harris has experience in a variety of finance roles within the company.

ADNOC consortium withdraws bid of $18.7 Billion for Australia's Santos

After months of disagreements over valuation, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has pulled its $18,7 billion bid to purchase Australian gas producer Santos. ADNOC may be slowing down its aggressive expansion overseas as it looks to invest the booming oil revenue in the country. This also shows the challenges foreign companies face when trying buy assets in Australia. ADNOC's overseas division XRG, Abu Dhabi sovereign fund ADQ, and private equity firm Carlyle's bid for Santos was the third unsuccessful bid to purchase Santos.

Analysts say that 'deep pockets' may help Abu Dhabi gain regulatory approval for Santos' bid.

Analysts say that the Australian regulators who are concerned about gas supplies in Australia will be closely monitoring Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's bid of $18,7 billion for Santos. However, they could be won over by promises to accelerate new projects. Analysts say that Santos' shares closed Tuesday at A$7.73, a far cry from the $5.76 per share (A$8.89), which was the proposed takeover bid for Australia's 2nd largest gas producer, announced on Monday. This indicates investors believe that the deal will be rejected by regulators.

ADNOC consortium offers $18.7 billion to takeover Australia's Santos

Santos, an Australian oil and natural gas company, said Monday that it would support a $18,7 billion bid by an international consortium led Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to acquire the company. ADNOC has, via its investment arm XRG in conjunction with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company, Carlyle and Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company, offered $5.76 ($8.89 A$) per Santos Share, a 28% increase over the closing price of Friday for the Australian firm. As oil prices rose to multi-week highs…

China's tariff retaliation is aimed at its modest US energy imports

China is the largest energy importer in the world, but its purchases of US crude oil, LNG and coal are relatively modest. This reduces the impact of Beijing’s Tuesday move to impose retaliatory duties on the imports of U.S. natural gas, LNG, and crude oil. China's Finance Ministry announced that, on February 10, it will impose tariffs of up to 15% on the imports of U.S. crude oil, LNG, and coal, and 10% on some autos and farm equipment. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration revealed that Chinese imports of U.S.

APPEC-Weak Oil Demand Affects Singapore Industry Gathering

Next week, the largest gathering of energy traders in Asia will be dominated by discussions about the weak demand for oil in Asia and China as well as the plans of OPEC+ producers in order to reduce supply. APPEC 2024 is organised by S&P Global Commodity Insights and will begin on Monday, in Singapore. More than 1,000 participants are expected to attend from more than 50 countries. They will discuss the outlook of oil and gas demand, supply and prices. The event takes place despite falling oil prices and fears of tensions escalating in the Middle East.

Oil Search Boss to Retire in 2020

Peter Botten (Photo: Oil Search)

Papua New Guinea's biggest company Oil Search Ltd said on Tuesday long-serving Managing Director Peter Botten will retire from the firm next year after 25 years in the role, just as the company enters a major growth phase in PNG and Alaska.Botten will be succeeded by senior executive Keiran Wulff in February and will step down from the board on Aug. 25."Under his leadership, Oil Search has grown from a small exploration and production company to a regionally significant oil, gas and LNG producer and exporter…

Shell Sees More FLNG Opportunities

(Photo: Shell)

Royal Dutch Shell sees more opportunities for floating liquefied natural gas projects, but not necessarily like its $17 billion Prelude operation off Australia, which shipped its first cargo last week, over two years behind schedule.Shell Australia Chair Zoe Yujnovich said on Wednesday that it was too early to tell whether Prelude, one of two floating LNG (FLNG) projects in the world, would be replicated in future, as the company was still commissioning the project."I think that there's an opportunity for the floating concept.

Australia Dominates China's LNG Supply

Offshore Australia: Shell’s Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility delivered its first LNG cargo earlier this week. Pictured is the Prelude FLNG facility, with the Valencia Knutsen berthed side-by-side (Photo: Shell)

Australia's fast-expanding liquefied natural gas industry has this year been supplying the lion's share of China's growing demand for imports of the commodity, with appetite surging as Beijing shifts away from dirtier fuels such as coal.Australia supplied over 53% of China's LNG imports during the first five months of 2019, shipping data in Refinitiv showed, up from around 40% in 2016 when a previous round of new Australian export projects started to ramp up.With Royal Dutch Shell's Prelude facility delivering its first LNG cargo this week from northwest Australia…

Woodside Raises Dividend

(Photo: Woodside Petroleum)

Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd surprised investors with a fat dividend on Thursday after reporting a 36-percent percent rise in annual profit, underpinned by stronger oil prices.The higher-than-expected payout came after shareholders stumped up $2.5 billion to buy new shares a year ago at a time when Australia's biggest independent oil and gas producer expected oil prices to average $65 a barrel.By the end of the year it was flush with cash as oil prices had averaged $71 and the Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project…

Prelude FLNG Starts Production in Australia

(Photo: Shell)

Royal Dutch Shell said on Wednesday it has begun output at its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility in Australia, the world's largest floating production structure and the last of a wave of eight LNG projects built in the country over the last decade.Though the project started up later and cost more than originally estimated, it is expected to further cement Australia's lead as the world's biggest LNG exporter, after the country took the crown in November.In a statement…

LNG Import Terminal Proposed for Australian port

A typical FSRU (CREDIT Excelerate

A South Korea-based company has proposed building a terminal on Australia's east coast to import liquefied natural gas, the fifth proposal for such a project in the world's No.2 LNG exporter.The proposals have come after three new LNG export plants on the east coast have sucked gas out of the southeastern market and nearly tripled wholesale gas prices in places such as Sydney over the past two years.EPIK, a newly-formed LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) project development company…