PERTH, Monday 23 February 2026 — New information about one of Australia’s most polluting fossil fuel projects, Woodside’s North West Shelf gas extension, proves the fossil fuel multinational can’t be trusted ahead of a major milestone for its Browse project.
The documents, released under Freedom of Information laws and published by Nine Papers today, showed that Woodside lobbied the federal government to water down conditions placed on its North West Shelf project in September.
It comes as the WA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepares to hand down its recommendation on Woodside’s controversial Browse plans, a key component for the North West Shelf. It was revealed, again through FOIs, that the WA EPA was to reject Browse in 2024, declaring the plans to have “unacceptable impacts” on Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef system.
Gemma Plesman, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “How was Woodside able to self-appoint as the judge, jury and executor of the North West Shelf, one of Australia’s dirtiest and most polluting fossil fuel projects? The level of influence and interference is chilling and is a sign of what to expect from Woodside. Woodside has been playing dirty, attempting to write its own rules about one of the most consequential and controversial fossil fuel projects on Australia’s books.
“All eyes are now on the WA EPA, which is about to hand down its recommendation on the Browse project. Woodside has revised its Browse plans multiple times – most recently in 2025, but the reality is: Woodside still wants to drill more than 50 gas wells around Scott Reef, and their plans still threaten some of our ocean’s most vulnerable species like endangered pygmy blue whales and green turtles, and still risk oil spills, seismic blasting and reef sinking.
“Clearly, Woodside can’t be trusted. It has been desperately trying and failing for years to get Browse off the ground and will do anything it can to push the plans ahead, and the North West Shelf scandal is proof. The EPA must recommend rejecting this proposal, and the WA government must put an end to this shoddy project.”
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Woodside’s North West Shelf scandal a warning sign ahead of Browse approvals
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