Julimar subsea development concluding ahead of Chevron transfer
Woodside Energy has issued a progress report on current field development and decommissioning projects offshore Australia and in the Gulf of Mexico.
NWS project
Offshore Western Australia, the North West Shelf (NWS) project partners recently took FID on the Greater Western Flank Phase 4 (GWF-4) development. This is a five-well subsea tieback with estimated capex of about $700 million that should recover about 100 Bboe.
Julimar development
To the south, work continues on the Julimar Development Phase 3 (JDP3) project, a tieback to the field’s existing production system, with two of the three wells drilled and completed during the latter part of 2025. The third, which also drilled a (non-commercial) exploration target, is due to be completed this year.
Once the new facilities are onstream, Woodside expects to conclude its previously announced asset swap for the Julimar-Brunello fields with Chevron during the second half of 2026.
Decommissioning
As for decommissioning, all umbilical and subsea structures have been removed from the Echo Yodel Field offshore Western Australia. The Stybarrow wellheads, xmas trees and other structures have also been removed, with retrieval now underway of the umbilicals and flowlines at Stybarrow and Griffin.
Bass Strait
In the Bass Strait offshore Victoria, preparations continue for transfer of operatorship of the production facilities from ExxonMobil Australia to Woodside, which should also complete during the second half of this year.
Recent milestones include the planned shutdown of the Marlin Complex as part of the Turrum Phase 3 development, with drilling underway on the first of the five new wells. Work on the offshore Kipper 1B project has finished, with production now at full capacity.
At the same time, activities have been progressing in preparation for the Bass Strait removal campaign 1 project concerning three platforms, with approvals received to start work on the onshore reception center upgrades.
Gulf of Mexico
In the US Gulf, Woodside’s partner (and operator) bp has started production from the second of three Argos Southwest Extension wells and an infill well at the Mad Dog A-Spar. Drilling also continues on the non-operated Bandit-1 well.
Offshore Malaysia
Finally, Woodside has signed an agreement with Petroleum Sarawak Berhad to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of storing CO2 in Site 3A in the Central Luconia province offshore Sarawak, Malaysia.