Sydney, Jan 30, 2026, 16:48 AEDT — After-hours
- Woodside gained roughly 0.8% on Friday, outperforming a generally weaker market.
- The company flagged progress on its Scarborough LNG project, which is set to begin operations in late 2026
- Traders are eyeing oil’s geopolitical premium alongside Woodside’s full-year results, due Feb. 24
Woodside Energy Group Ltd shares closed Friday up roughly 0.8% at A$25.37, following an intraday peak close to A$25.61.
The update came after Woodside shared new details on Scarborough, its LNG (liquefied natural gas) project set to supply the Pluto plant in Western Australia. The company confirmed the floating production unit has reached Australian waters following a lengthy tow from China. Scarborough is now 94% finished, with Woodside sticking to its plan for a first LNG shipment in Q4 2026.
Woodside has flagged a dip in 2026 production before its major growth projects kick in. The company expects output between 172 million and 186 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) that year, hit by planned maintenance and a major turnaround—a scheduled shutdown—at Pluto. Despite softer realised prices, Woodside posted full-year output of 198.8 MMboe in 2025.
Oil’s surge earlier in the week gave the sector a boost. Brent slipped on Friday following a steep rally but remains on track for its largest monthly gain in years, as traders factor in possible supply disruptions linked to U.S.-Iran tensions. “Prices eased” because the expected disruption “has yet to materialise,” said LSEG senior analyst Anh Pham. Reuters
Investors are also watching Greater Sunrise, the untapped gas field in the Timor Sea. Australia and Timor-Leste pushed for quicker movement this week after Woodside and Timor Gap agreed to develop a concept study. This could influence Woodside’s LNG plans down the line.
Looking ahead to the next session, the setup is clear: should crude shed its geopolitical premium, Woodside and its Australian peers tend to react fast. If the premium holds, investors will probably stay focused on any moves that reduce Scarborough’s timeline risks.
The risk is that “on track” slips into “delayed” — a prolonged Pluto shutdown, hiccups in offshore commissioning, or rising costs would hit hard, especially with the company already forecasting a softer production year. Another major concern: prices. Woodside sells into oil-linked LNG and gas contracts, so weaker benchmarks could easily wipe out any operational gains.
Woodside plans to publish its 2025 annual report and conduct an investor briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The event will feature a teleconference led by acting CEO Liz Westcott and CFO Graham Tiver. This is the next major catalyst for the stock.
