NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 10:39 ET — Regular session
- Woodside’s U.S.-listed shares rose slightly after it signed a binding LNG supply deal with Turkey’s BOTAŞ
- The contract starts in 2030 and is tied mainly to Woodside’s under-construction Louisiana LNG project
- Traders also eyed a holiday-delayed U.S. gas storage report due at noon ET
Woodside Energy’s U.S.-listed shares were up 0.7% at $15.47 in morning trading on Monday after the Australian natural gas producer said it signed a binding liquefied natural gas supply deal with Turkey’s state-owned BOTAŞ. Reuters
The agreement matters now because long-term LNG contracts help producers lock in buyers and underpin project cash flows as the industry braces for a wave of new export capacity later this decade. The International Energy Agency expects new LNG export capacity to grow by 300 billion cubic metres per year between 2025 and 2030, a 50% jump, with about 45% coming from the United States, Reuters reported. Reuters
For Woodside, the deal highlights commercial progress at Louisiana LNG, a major U.S. export project that would add to supply heading into a more competitive global market. Reuters
Woodside said it will supply around 5.8 billion cubic metres of LNG over up to nine years starting in 2030. The deal converts a “heads of agreement” — a preliminary, typically non-binding pact — that the parties signed in September into a binding commitment, the company said. Reuters
“This supply agreement with BOTAŞ represents a strategic milestone for Woodside,” said Mark Abbotsford, Woodside’s executive vice-president and chief commercial officer. Reuters
The LNG will be sourced mainly from Woodside’s under-construction Louisiana LNG project, supplemented by supplies from Woodside’s broader portfolio, the company said. Reuters
Woodside’s Louisiana LNG complex is the largest foreign investment in Louisiana’s history and was the first U.S. LNG project to receive financial go-ahead after President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, Reuters reported. The project received final approval in late April and is slated to deliver its first gas in 2029. Reuters
In commodity markets, near-term U.S. natural gas prices also stayed in focus. Natural Gas Intelligence reported the January Nymex contract — which expires after Monday’s close — was up 10.4 cents at $4.470 per mmBtu around 8:30 a.m. ET. Natural Gas Intel
Traders were also watching a holiday-shifted U.S. government storage update due at 12:00 p.m. ET, according to the Energy Information Administration’s release schedule. The weekly report tracks how much gas is held in underground storage — a key gauge for winter supply and price direction. EIA Information Releases
Gas-linked equities were mixed. Cheniere Energy, a major U.S. LNG exporter, rose 1.2% to $191.67, while top U.S. gas producer EQT was little changed at $54.00.
Investors will be looking at whether the storage data show a larger-than-expected withdrawal, which typically supports prices by signaling tighter supply, or a smaller draw that can pressure the front of the curve as winter demand swings.
For Woodside, attention is likely to stay on additional long-term contracting and cost-and-schedule execution at Louisiana LNG as the project moves toward first gas in 2029 and the BOTAŞ contract start in 2030. Reuters
