The court confirmed the validity of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority’s (NOPSEMA) acceptance of the Scarborough Offshore Facility and Trunkline (Operations) Environment Plan, the final Commonwealth environmental approval required for Woodside to connect, commission, and operate the Scarborough floating production unit (FPU), the operator said in a release Aug. 22.

The decision comes after Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) launched proceedings in May seeking a judicial review of NOPSEMA’s approval. At the time, DEA executive director Dr. Kate Wylie said the organization believed NOPSEMA “may have acted unlawfully by accepting this EP without fully understanding how the impacts of the Scarborough gas project will be managed.”

In its release Aug. 22 following the court’s decision, Woodside chief executive officer Meg O’Neill said the ruling “reinforces confidence” in progressing the project.

“Scarborough is expected to be one of the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG delivered into north Asian markets, providing reliable energy to the region while also supporting local energy security through critical domestic gas supply.”

Scarborough Energy Project

The Scarborough Energy Project comprises Scarborough gas field, construction of Pluto Train 2, modifications to the existing Pluto Train 1, and the Integrated Remote Operations Centre.

Th project is expected to produce up to 8 million tonnes/year of LNG and contribute up to 225 terajoules/day of domestic gas supply into the Western Australian market.

The project was 86% complete as of June 30, 2025, (excluding Pluto Train 1 modifications) and is targeting first LNG cargo in second-half 2026.