Endangered turtles and ‘exceptional’ coral at risk from Woodside’s gas drilling in WA, watchdog says
News Source
•Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:00:45 GMT
📰 What Happened
A leaked draft letter from WA's environmental watchdog has criticised Woodside's plan to drill for gas in the Browse basin. It says the project could badly damage rare coral at Scott Reef and that an oil spill may be impossible to make safe.
The advice, written in 2023, said Woodside's plans to protect endangered green turtles and pygmy blue whales would not work. In early 2024 the EPA told the company its early view was to reject the project.
🔍 The Backstory
Scott Reef is home to more than 1,500 species, many found nowhere else. Sandy Islet, part of the reef, is where about 1,000 green turtles breed each year. Woodside wants to drill over 50 wells and pipe gas 1,000km to its ageing plant.
The company won approval last year to run that plant until 2070, but needs Browse gas to keep it going. Woodside added explosive shear rams to seal a leaking well in about 12 hours. Greenpeace says the technology is unproven.
🎯 Why It Matters
The decision will shape whether Australia's biggest fossil fuel project goes ahead, and what happens to a reef that thousands of turtles and whales depend on.
A leaked draft letter from WA's environmental watchdog has criticised Woodside's plan to drill for gas in the Browse basin. It says the project could badly damage rare coral at Scott Reef and that an oil spill may be impossible to make safe.
The advice, written in 2023, said Woodside's plans to protect endangered green turtles and pygmy blue whales would not work. In early 2024 the EPA told the company its early view was to reject the project.
Scott Reef is home to more than 1,500 species, many found nowhere else. Sandy Islet, part of the reef, is where about 1,000 green turtles breed each year. Woodside wants to drill over 50 wells and pipe gas 1,000km to its ageing plant.
The company won approval last year to run that plant until 2070, but needs Browse gas to keep it going. Woodside added explosive shear rams to seal a leaking well in about 12 hours. Greenpeace says the technology is unproven.
The decision will shape whether Australia's biggest fossil fuel project goes ahead, and what happens to a reef that thousands of turtles and whales depend on.