The platform's arrival keeps Barossa LNG on track to start production in the third quarter.
The Barossa LNG project, a joint venture with SK E&S and JERA Co. Inc., has seen a total investment of AUD 6.07 billion ($3.95 billion). The FPSO serves as the project’s production hub. Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher stated: “The project has come a long way since regulator acceptance of the Offshore Project Proposal in 2018. The project remains on track for first gas in the third quarter of 2025, and within the original cost guidance, which is a remarkable achievement.”
Gallagher added: “Barossa is a world-class asset and, together with the Pikka phase one project in Alaska, is expected to deliver a 30 percent increase in production over the next eighteen months or so compared to 2024. These projects will set the company up with long-term, stable cash flows to underpin compelling shareholder returns.”
The Darwin LNG life extension (DLE) project, which supports Barossa, is 90% complete and on schedule for completion by the third quarter of 2025. The DLE project, with an AUD 1 billion investment, has created 300 construction and maintenance jobs in Darwin. Santos noted that its Darwin LNG operations, employing a fully local workforce, are expected to generate AUD 100 million annually in supply and service opportunities for Northern Territory businesses.
Additionally, the Darwin LNG joint venture partnered with KAEFER Integrated Services on an AUD 3 million initiative to train a skilled Aboriginal workforce in the Northern Territory. This program has provided 20 trade and traineeship opportunities, covering roles in boiler making, workplace health and safety, and administration, fostering sustainable local employment.
The Barossa and DLE projects highlight Santos’ commitment to expanding LNG production while supporting local economies and workforce development in Australia.
