Woodside has paused work at a floating production unit for its $12.5 billion Scarborough gas project off Western Australia after Greenpeace activists boarded it, SBS News reports. Four protesters climbed the semi-submersible unit, about 375km off the state's north-west coast, on Saturday and hung banners; two stayed overnight in hanging tents. Woodside said pre-commissioning work had been safely halted because of the unauthorised access. The project is 98% complete.
Greenpeace says the action targets Woodside's proposed Browse gas development, which it fears could harm Scott Reef, a remote coral system used by endangered pygmy blue whales. Woodside has said Browse would not physically touch the reef above a depth of 75 metres. The Australian Conservation Foundation is separately challenging Browse in court.
Source: SBS News