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Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Australia Nz News

19 Jun 2026

BMT, Austal Sign Engineering Alliance to Support Shipbuilding Projects

(Credit: BMT)

Maritime engineering consultancy BMT and Australian shipbuilder Austal have signed a strategic agreement aimed at expanding ship design and engineering capacity while supporting the delivery of commercial and defense shipbuilding programs.The agreement establishes a framework that allows Austal to access specialist naval architecture and engineering resources as project requirements fluctuate, helping the company manage peak workloads and reduce schedule risks.Under the arrangement…

12 Jun 2026

JERA Takes Delivery of First LNG Cargo from Australia's Barossa Gas Project

(Credit: JERA)

JERA has received its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from the Barossa gas project in Australia, marking the start of LNG deliveries from the offshore development to Japan's largest power generation company.The cargo arrived aboard the LNG carrier Sohshu Maru at JERA's Futtsu LNG terminal on June 12, following the start of production from the Barossa project in late 2025.Located offshore Australia's Northern Territory, the Barossa gas field supplies gas to the Darwin LNG facility for processing and export.

03 Jun 2026

Ichthys LNG Strike Causes Delay to Taiwan-Bound Cargo

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

Loading of a Taiwan-bound LNG tanker at the Inpex-operated 1605.T Ichthys plant in Australia has been delayed after a limited strike by workers disrupted operations at the terminal, according to the union and shipping data.The delay highlights supply risks from the facility that accounts for about 10% of LNG output in Australia, currently the world's second-largest producer of the super-chilled fuel after the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran damaged facilities in Qatar and drove up…

01 Jun 2026

Oil Jumps Over 3% After US-Iran Exchange Attacks

© MDASHIQUEZAMAN / Adobe Stock

Oil prices rose more than 3% on Monday after Iran and the U.S. traded strikes and Israel ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in its battle with Tehran-backed Hezbollah.U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose $2.88 or 3.3% to $90.24 a barrel as of 0701 GMT. Brent LCOc1 futures rose $2.78 or 3.05% to $93.9 a barrel.The fighting, after Washington hosted Israel-Lebanon peace talks on Friday, dimmed hopes that the U.S. and Iran could soon announce an extension to their ceasefire, which had driven Brent and WTI to settle down 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively, on Friday.The U.S.

27 May 2026

Export Curbs Should not Harm Australia's Biggest LNG-producing State

Copyright Rafael Ben-Ari/AdobeStock

Western Australian premier Roger Cook said on Wednesday he had been "assured" by federal Resources Minister Madeleine King that a new government policy of reserving 20% of gas output for domestic use would not harm his state's large LNG industry."Maddie King is a very good friend of mine, she's my local member of parliament (and) we’ve talked at length about this and she is determined to make sure that it doesn’t have an adverse impact in terms of Western Australia’s established practice…

26 May 2026

ABL Gets Onboard Australia’s Largest Offshore Decom Campaign

Pioneering Spirit vessel (Credit: Allseas)

ABL has been hired to support Esso Australia Resources as preparations advance for what the company described as Australia’s largest offshore decommissioning campaign in the Bass Strait.The Gippsland Decommissioning Campaign #1 Project is expected to involve removal of up to 13 offshore platforms beginning in 2027 using Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit vessel.Esso, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, operates the Bass Strait assets as part of the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture. The infrastructure includes around 400 wells…

26 May 2026

Santos Targets LNG and Oil Expansion in Alaska, Oceania and Australia

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Australia's Santos will prioritise LNG and oil growth in three core regions, including Alaska and Papua New Guinea, under a new strategy that also includes reducing net debt by $2.5 billion by 2030."We are now laser-focused on investment in major oil and LNG production across three regions," CEO Kevin Gallagher said while speaking at the company's 2026 Investor Briefing Day on Tuesday.The country's No.2 oil and gas producer will leverage existing infrastructure on Tier-1 basins in the three regions…

26 May 2026

Brent Jumps 2% After US Strikes in Iran Rattle Oil Markets

© hunterpic2013 / Adobe Stock

Brent crude futures rose more than 2% on Tuesday after the U.S. military carried out strikes in Iran, keeping markets on edge as a deal to end the war and open up the Strait of Hormuz remained elusive.Brent futures LCOc1 were up $2.36, or 2.5%, to $98.50 a barrel as of 0630 GMT, after settling 7% lower in the previous session.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was at $91.95 a barrel, up slightly from Monday's last traded price but down $4.65, or 4.8%, from Friday's close. There was no settlement on Monday due to the U.S.

20 May 2026

UAE Oil Pipeline to Bypass Hormuz Reaches 50% Completion

© Adobe Stock/Jorge Moro

The UAE's new crude pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is about 50% complete, the head of ADNOC said on Wednesday, adding that global oil flows may take at least four months to recover to 80% of pre-conflict levels after the Iran war ends.Tehran has largely kept the waterway critical for global oil and gas supplies shut to all ships other than its own since U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, sending energy prices and inflation surging and fanning fears of an economic downturn.The Abu Dhabi Media Office revealed the existence of the new West-East Pipeline project last week…

05 May 2026

DOF Secures APAC Subsea Services Job for Skandi Inventor Vessel

(Credit: DOF Group)

Norwegian offshore vessel owner and subsea services provider DOF Group said it has secured a contract for subsea commissioning support services in the Asia-Pacific region, with offshore operations planned in North Australian waters.The company said its vessel Skandi Inventor will be deployed for the campaign, which is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2027 and is expected to last between 120 and 180 days.The scope of work includes project management, engineering, procurement…

01 Apr 2026

Iran War Reshapes Global LNG Trade

Copyright JEGAS RA/AdobeStock

The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has changed the global market for liquefied natural gas (LNG), providing a boost to producers outside the Middle East that will likely last long after the current conflict ends.One of the major beneficiaries is Australia, which last year slipped to the third-largest exporter of the super-chilled fuel behind the United States and Qatar.But the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has shut off Qatar's LNG exports, meaning that it will likely lose second place back to Australia this year…

31 Mar 2026

Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG Plant Remains Offline Due to Cyclone Damage

(Credit: Chevron)

Chevron said on Tuesday that downstream assets at its Wheatstone liquefied natural gas plant in Western Australia suffered extensive cyclone damage, leaving both production trains offline.Danny Woodall, Chevron's director of operations and maintenance for Australia, said the two LNG processing trains at the 8.9 million-ton-a-year facility remained shut after Tropical Cyclone Narelle struck the region last week."We have a number of fin fans or air-cooled heat exchangers that sustained some damage," he told the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook conference in Sydney."We've got a dedicated team righ

31 Mar 2026

Gas Majors Oppose Australia LNG Windfall Tax as Prices Surge

© Mike Mareen / Adobe Stock

Gas majors including Shell and Chevron warned Australia against introducing a windfall tax on gas exporters, saying it would deter investment and undermine energy security as LNG prices surge amid disruption caused by the Iran war.Australia became the world's second-largest LNG supplier after Iranian strikes forced Qatar to halt production, with its export revenue set to surge due to lower supply caused by the conflict.Canberra is weighing options to capitalise on the higher prices…

27 Mar 2026

Cyclone Disrupts Australia’s Biggest LNG Plants, Strains Global Market

Gorgon facility (Credit: Chevron)

A powerful tropical cyclone in Western Australia has disrupted production at the country’s two biggest liquefied natural gas plants run by Chevron and Woodside, exacerbating a global supply crunch caused by the conflict in the Middle East.Australia became the world’s second-largest LNG exporter after Qatar shut down production this month following damage to its facilities from Iranian strikes. Global LNG flows out of the Middle East have also been upended by Iran’s blockage of…

23 Mar 2026

Vessev Expands Into Australian Market with Hydrofoiling Passenger Vessels

© Vessev

New Zealand marine technology company Vessev has announced its expansion into the Australian market, with the Enautic Group set to introduce Vessev's electric hydrofoiling passenger vessels to Western Australia. There are currently only three commercially-certified electric hydrofoiling vessels in operation anywhere in the world, two of which are Vessev VS-9s, which together have logged close to 10,000 nautical miles.The VS-9, Vessev's flagship passenger vessel, is a 29-foot electric hydrofoiling catamaran with carbon fiber foils that deliver a smooth, quiet, low-wake ride.

02 Mar 2026

Oil Up 8% as Middle Eastern War Rages

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Oil surged 9% on Monday after retaliatory Iranian attacks disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz following the weekend's bombing by Israel and the United States that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.A sustained jump in prices would threaten a global economic recovery, spur inflation and could push up U.S. retail gasoline prices, a risky result for President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections this November.The price surge on the restart of trading after the weekend…

09 Feb 2026

New Zealand Moves Ahead with LNG Import Facility Plan

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New Zealand has shortlisted contractors to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility to boost energy security, provide a reliable backup power source and support economic growth, Energy Minister Simon Watts said on Monday.The government aims to sign a contract by the middle of this year for an import facility in Taranaki, on the country's North Island, that would be ready to receive LNG in 2027 or early 2028.The model will allow LNG to be imported in large shipments and only when needed…

21 Jan 2026

Worley Joins Australia’s Westport Program as Marine Infrastructure Adviser

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Worley has been selected as Marine and Port Infrastructure Technical Advisor by the Government of Western Australia for the Westport Program, which aims to deliver a new container port in Kwinana.Under a joint venture with Arcadis, Worley will provide technical advisory and concept design services for marine and port infrastructure under an initial three-year agreement. Construction of the port is expected to begin in the late 2020s, with operations expected by 2040.Once completed…

15 Jan 2026

Woodside to Supply LNG to JERA During Japan's Winter Peak

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Woodside Energy Trading Singapore has signed a sale and purchase agreement with Japan’s JERA for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) during Japan’s peak winter period, strengthening long-term LNG supply arrangements between the two companies.Under the agreement, Woodside will supply three LNG cargoes per year, equivalent to around 0.2 million tonnes annually, for a period of five years starting in 2027. The LNG will be delivered on a delivered ex-ship basis to Japan during…

02 Jul 2025

Bonaparte CCS Project Awarded Major Project Status

Source: Inpex

The Bonaparte CCS project has been awarded Major Project Status by the Australian Government. It is the first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project to receive the status in Australia.The Bonaparte CCS Assessment Joint Venture is operated by Inpex subsidiary Inpex Browse E&P (53%) and also involves TotalEnergies CCS Australia (26%) and Woodside Energy (21%).The awarding highlights the project’s recognized potential to support a lower carbon future as well as reflecting…

19 Jun 2025

Solstad Offshore’s Two CSVs Get Jobs in South America

CSV Normand Flower (Credit: Solstad Offshore)

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has confirmed contracts for two of its construction support vessels (CSVs), which will be put to work in South America.The first contract is with Petrobras for the Normand Flower CSV, owned by Solstad Maritime.The contract, valued at $115 million excluding ROV services, was first announced in April 2025, and has now been formally approved and signed.It will begin in January 2026 with a has a duration of four years.The vessel will be on bareboat contracts from Solstad Maritime to Solstad Offshore…

13 Jun 2025

Commodity Report: Meeting Oil Demand a Challenge if Israel Hits Iran Oil

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Oil market participants have switched to dreading a shortage in fuel from focusing on impending oversupply in just two days this week.After Israel attacked Iran and Tehran pledged to retaliate, oil prices jumped as much as 13% to their highest since January as investors price in an increased probability of a major disruption in Middle East oil supplies.Part of the reason for the rapid spike is that spare capacity among OPEC and allies to pump more oil to offset any disruption is roughly equivalent to Iran's output…

28 May 2025

Woodside to run North West Shelf LNG Plant to 2070

Credit: Woodside Energy

Australia conditionally approved on Wednesday a request by Woodside Energy to extend until 2070 the life of its North West Shelf gas plant, following a six-year review dogged by delays, appeals and backlash from green groups.The facility on the Burrup peninsula in Western Australia is the country's oldest and largest liquefied natural gas plant and a key supplier to Asian markets, but concerns that its emissions could imperil ancient rock art held up a decision.In a statement…