Gas giant faces ‘strict’ pollution limits to protect ancient rock art

Oil and gas giant Woodside Energy will be required to abide by dozens of conditions, including deeper cuts to harmful nitrogen oxide emissions, to continue operating one of Australia’s largest fossil fuel projects until 2070.

Environment Minister Murray Watt’s decision to greenlight the project’s decades-long extension has been cheered by the gas industry as recognition of an enduring need for the fossil fuel, even as the world transitions to cleaner energy.

However, it faced fierce opposition from climate activists, scientists and First Nations groups concerned about its impact on climate change and the environment.

Watt announced on Friday he had imposed 48 conditions for Woodside’s continued operation of the huge North West Shelf project in Western Australia.

He said the conditions struck a balance between protecting jobs and avoiding “unacceptable” damage to ancient rock art in the Murujuga National Park on Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula.

The conditions released on Friday reveal Woodside will be required to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from 3065 tonnes a year in the five years to December 2035 to 767 annual tonnes in 2061.

However, the company will be able to maintain the levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and particulate matter emissions to no more than the current average emission levels.

Woodside has spent months lobbying the government to weaken some of the conditions originally proposed for the 40-year extension of the North West Shelf project, which the company believed were not “technically feasible”.

Watt’s approval ends years of uncertainty over the future of the North West Shelf, which has been supplying gas to WA customers and shipping super-chilled liquefied natural gas cargoes to Asia since the 1980s. Its approvals were due to expire in 2030.

Woodside on Friday welcomed the government’s extension decision, noting it came with “rigorous conditions” to protect cultural heritage.

“This final approval provides certainty for the ongoing operation of the North West Shelf project so it can continue to provide reliable energy supplies as it has for more than 40 years,” Woodside chief operating officer Liz Westcott said.

“Woodside remains committed to protecting the Murujuga Cultural Landscape and was a proud supporter of the World Heritage nomination and assessment process.”

Australian Conservation Foundation climate program manager Gavan McFadzean said the government’s progress on renewable energy was “wiped out” by its support for fossil fuel expansion.

“The conditions can’t alter the fact the Albanese government is responsible for granting one of the world’s largest gas approvals while the planet is engulfed in a climate crisis,” McFadzean said.

“It beggars belief that the Albanese government would choose to detonate this carbon bomb. With this decision, Prime Minister [Anthony] Albanese has betrayed Australians who voted for him, believing he was serious about acting on climate change.”

Woodside’s Karratha gas processing plant is less than one kilometre away from the World Heritage-listed Aboriginal rock art, known locally as Murujuga and up to 60,000 years old.

A departmental briefing prepared for Watt and released under freedom of information laws warned that if the extension was granted, emissions from the Karratha plant could affect the ancient rock art and heritage values of the Dampier Archipelago, including Murujuga.

Traditional Custodian Raelene Cooper applied to the government for a cultural heritage assessment of Murujuga under section 10 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. The Federal Court in August ruled the federal government had unreasonably delayed its response to her application.

Section 10 of the act allows the environment minister to preserve culturally significant sites and to stop any works that could “desecrate” those sites, and Cooper claimed Woodside’s emissions were accelerating the degradation of the rock art.

“This decision is a slap in the face. It allows Woodside to continue operations and pollution to 2070. It is a crime against Murujuga and a crime against humanity,” Cooper said.

Watt said he had made a partial declaration to protect Murujuga’s heritage value, but that the declaration would not prevent industry from operating in the area.

This, he said, would protect “a significant Aboriginal heritage area and/or objects that are under threat of injury or desecration”.

‘It beggars belief that the Albanese government would choose to detonate this carbon bomb.’

Gavan McFadzean, Australian Conservation Foundation

“The declaration will mean additional legal protections placed over part of the area, to ensure Murujuga’s ancient rock art is appropriately protected into the future,” Watt said.

“Importantly, this decision does not stop industry from operating at Murujuga.”

Energy industry leaders on Friday said the announcement would drive investment and ensure Australia had enough gas to back up the accelerating role of renewable energy.

Anita Logiudice, the policy and advocacy director at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA, said the long-awaited resolution significantly boosted the state’s energy security and would benefit West Australian industry and households.

“The importance of the North West Shelf to WA cannot be overstated,” Logiudice said.

Watt gave preliminary approval in May to the 40-year expansion of Woodside Energy’s operations in the north-west of WA, comprising a vast network of offshore oil and gas infrastructure and the onshore gas-processing hub in Karratha.

The development comes as Albanese prepares to unveil the government’s 2035 emissions reduction targets next week.

His government has been awaiting advice from the Climate Change Authority, led by former NSW Liberal treasurer and climate change minister Matt Kean, before announcing a new national 2035 emissions reduction goal.

The independent authority is expected to recommend a target in the 65-75 per cent range.

Watt’s decision also comes as Pacific leaders gather in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara for the Pacific Islands Forum, which has been dominated by discussions about climate change and security.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network regional director Rufino Varea said Pacific leaders “must judge actions, not promises” as Australia continues to bid for the right to host the next international climate summit, COP31, in partnership with the Pacific.

“If Australia truly wants to partner with the Pacific for COP31, it must prove it with a genuine and strong climate plan,” Varea said.

“That plan must align with keeping warming to 1.5 [degrees] and stop new fossil fuel expansion.”

“It would show that ‘hosting with the Pacific’ is a slogan, rather than a commitment.”

The Climate Council previously described Woodside’s original bid as a “carbon bomb” that would lock in more than 4 billion tonnes of climate pollution – equivalent to a decade of Australia’s annual emissions.

Watt said on Friday the new conditions imposed on the project demonstrated the government was committed to protecting First Nations culture and protecting jobs.

“It’s not one or the other,” he said.

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