The leading gas producer in Australia, Woodside Energy, has reached an agreement to sell US infrastructure investor Stonepeak a 40% share in its Louisiana liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant for USD 5.7 billion. The agreement lowers Woodside’s capital expenditure requirements and represents a “material step” toward a final investment decision on the Louisiana plant. The venture is in further discussions with additional possible partners to reduce its holding.
Woodside Energy CEO Meg O’Neill said, “The addition of an infrastructure partner unlocks value and paves the way for other strategic equity partners.”
The Louisiana LNG project, formerly known as Driftwood, will be developed in four phases to meet the increasing demand for gas.
Woodside purchased the American natural gas company Tellurian for USD 1.02 billion in 2024. The estimated cost of the first phase is USD 16 billion. Since then, its shares have underperformed by a significant margin due to investor concerns about the capital intensity of its US expansion plan.
According to Woodside, the project’s economics and cash flow were improved by Stonepeak’s investment, which is expected to cover 75% of capital expenditures in 2025 and 2026.
“The market had put basically a discount on Woodside because of the balance sheet pressure that would happen without a selldown, and now this selldown has addressed that,” said MST Marquee senior energy analyst Saul Kavonic.
The deal also allows Woodside to make a final investment decision without locking in equity and offtake partners. Stonepeak senior managing director James Wyper said the Louisiana plant offered a good opportunity to invest in an LNG export plant nearing a final go-ahead.
As per Kavonic’s estimates, Woodside will need to sell a further 20% to 30% of its holding company stake, which includes a gas supply and LNG offtake business, to achieve its 50% selldown target. To meet this goal, the Meg O’Neill-led Woodside has so far held talks with potential buyers, including Tokyo Gas, Japan’s JERA, and Saudi Aramco-backed MidOcean Energy.
Meet Meg O’Neill
The current CEO of Woodside Energy, Meg O’Neill, has a broad and successful background that combines technical know-how with a strong dedication to leadership in the energy industry. Her father, a multi-patent holder, fostered her interest in science and engineering during her upbringing in Boulder, Colorado.
Early on in her academic career, Meg O’Neill showed a strong interest in math and engineering. She attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and graduated with degrees in Ocean Engineering and Chemical Engineering. Her career in the energy sector was well-founded on these early encounters.
After a stellar 23-year career at ExxonMobil, Meg O’Neill joined Woodside Energy. She held several positions with the company in North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia during her tenure. Her time at ExxonMobil was marked by leadership, operational, and technical responsibilities that enabled her to participate in some of the company’s most significant initiatives. She contributed significantly to the development of energy operations and infrastructure in Angola, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Mozambique, among other places. Her success in the future was greatly influenced by her global outlook and in-depth knowledge of energy markets.
In 2018, Meg O’Neill moved to Woodside Energy, one of the top oil and gas firms in Australia, where she became the Chief Operations Officer. Her tenure as Woodside’s leader was characterised by change and growth. She became one of the most powerful people in the Australian energy sector when she was named CEO and Managing Director in August 2021.
Woodside became the largest energy company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange after successfully merging with BHP’s oil and gas portfolio under her direction. Meg O’Neill’s plan to transform Woodside into a more competitive force in the world energy market included this calculated action.
In addition to her involvement in numerous business and community organisations, Meg O’Neill is well-known for her dedication to diversity and inclusion. She is a member of several significant boards, such as the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Reconciliation Western Australia, and she chairs the Australian Energy Producers (AEP), a significant industry association.
She also serves as an honorary governor of the Australian chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce. Through her active participation in Perth’s cultural scene and support of numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing industry and community relations, O’Neill demonstrates leadership that goes beyond business.
In 2024, the African Energy Chamber named O’Neill the “Energy Person of the Year” in honour of her outstanding contributions to the energy industry. This esteemed honour recognised her leadership in utilising Africa’s gas and oil resources to promote equitable economic development.
O’Neill’s continued efforts in the energy sector demonstrate her dedication to sustainability, innovation, and the development of long-term value for Woodside, as well as the communities and areas that the energy industry affects.
Woodside Continues Its Asia Push
Woodside Energy in March 2025 signed a long-term sale and purchase agreement with China Resources Gas International for the supply of LNG to China. Under the terms of the agreement, Woodside will supply approximately 0.6 million metric tons of LNG annually over 15 years, with deliveries set to commence in 2027.
The deal became Woodside’s first standalone long-term sales agreement with a Chinese buyer, apart from marking the first instance of China Resources committing to a 15-year procurement of LNG. The pact was the fourth such document the energy supplier has signed for the LNG-hungry Asian market since early 2024, as the world races towards clean energy.
In September 2024, Woodside signed an agreement to deliver 400,000 metric tons a year of LNG to Japan. The 10-year agreement with power producer JERA Co. will fulfil the latter’s first cargo in 2026 on a delivered basis. In the same year, Woodside announced another 10-year supply deal, this time involving the supply of six million metric tons of LNG to Taiwan’s national oil and gas company, CPC Corp.
“Woodside may also deliver approximately 8.4 million tonnes of LNG to CPC for a further 10 years, from 2034 to 2043, subject to conditions and agreement on terms for this period,” the venture said back then.
Woodside has already inked an agreement with Korea Gas Corp. for the supply of 500,000 metric tons a year of LNG to South Korea. The contract lasts 10.5 years on a delivered basis, starting in 2026. Signed again in 2024, this became Woodside’s first long-term agreement to supply LNG to South Korea.
Meanwhile, coming back to 2025, Woodside would sell some assets in its offshore oil and gas project in Trinidad and Tobago to London-based Perenco for USD 206 million. The sale includes the Greater Angostura project’s offshore production facilities and interests in the shallow water Angostura and Ruby fields, but excludes assets in the deepwater Calypso field.
Perenco will assume all restoration obligations, while most of Woodside’s Trinidad and Tobago-based workforce is expected to transfer to the London-based company.
Woodside had acquired these assets in 2022 through its landmark USD 28 billion merger with BHP Group’s petroleum business. The sale, effective since January 1, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Image Credits: Woodside Energy