In its capacity as Operator of the Scarborough Joint Venture, Woodside has awarded a contract to Boskalis Australia Pty Ltd to undertake seabed intervention and shore crossing works for the proposed Scarborough export gas pipeline.

The contract is for preparatory activities related to offshore deepwater excavation, pipeline crossings, nearshore and shore crossing works for the export trunkline which connects Scarborough to onshore processing infrastructure.

The execution of the in-field work is subject to a positive final investment decision being taken on the project by the Scarborough Joint Venture.

The contractor will mobilise specialist excavation and rock placement equipment for the complex scope, presenting a substantial local employment component. The scope also includes the supply of rock material.

Bidders for contract awards are required to provide an indicative list of work scopes that would be advertised to ensure local companies are provided full, fair and reasonable opportunity to participate in contracting opportunities. Woodside is supporting its contractors to develop Australian Industry Participation Plans (AIPPs) to continue to improve local content outcomes.

Woodside anticipates that local supply chain opportunities will increase during the construction phase of its projects, after the relevant ventures reach final investment decisions on the Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 projects.

Woodside CEO Peter Coleman said the award of the seabed intervention contract is another step towards unlocking the value of the Scarborough gas resource.

“Western Australia has played a vital role in supplying resources to the world and that role is now more important than ever as we are faced with the dual challenge of providing extra energy and cleaner energy for global and domestic markets,” he said.

Woodside’s preferred concept for the development of the 7.3 Tcf (2C, 100%) Scarborough gas resource (Woodside 75%) is through new offshore facilities connected by an approximately 430 km pipeline to a proposed expansion of the existing Pluto LNG onshore facility.

Woodside is targeting a final investment decision in 2020 and ready for start-up (RFSU) in 2023.

Achieving these milestones is subject to all necessary joint venture approvals, regulatory approvals and appropriate commercial arrangements being finalised.

About Woodside

Woodside (ASX: WPL, OTC: WOPEY) is Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, with a proud history of safe and reliable operations spanning decades.
As the largest operator of oil and gas in Australia, Woodside produces around 900,000 barrels of oil equivalent each day from a portfolio of facilities which we operate on behalf of some of the world’s major oil and gas companies.

About Royal Boskalis

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors.
The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world.
With core activities such as coastal defense, riverbank protection and land reclamation Boskalis is able to provide adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels, as well as delivering solutions for the increasing need for space in coastal and delta regions across the world. The company facilitates the development of offshore energy infrastructure, including renewable wind energy.
Boskalis is furthermore active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, access channels and civil infrastructure, thus helping to facilitate trade flows and regional socio-economic development. In addition, Boskalis is a global marine salvage expert and has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Kotug Smit Towage, Keppel Smit Towage, Saam Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of more than 900 vessels and floating equipment and 11,300 employees, including associates, Boskalis is creating new horizons around the world.