Today
Renewables are cheapest, even with poles, wires and batteries added in
CSIRO’s annual price comparison of energy sources include transmission and storage costs in renewables calculations for the first time. They still come out on top.
- Ben Potter
This Month
Santos secures drilling approval for Barossa gas project
The approval will allow Santos to resume drilling at the Barossa field in the Timor Sea, which it had to suspend last year after a successful legal challenge by a Tiwi Islander.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Climate vow hits pipeline full of coal, oil and gas
Latest figures in the Department of Industry, Resources and Sciences quarterly resources sector report card illustrate mixed progress towards decarbonisation.
- Ronald Mizen
‘Don’t do it’: Woodside investors baulk at Santos tie-up
Portfolio managers are understood to have voiced concerns to chairman Richard Goyder and senior management that a merger just for scale doesn’t make sense.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Four key takeaways from the new energy market roadmap
Coal is dead, the consumer is king, rising costs are squeezing new transmission and utility-scale generation projects, and gas will play an indispensable but small role.
- Ben Potter
- Exclusive
- Environmental protection
Unions line up to back offshore gas against environmental activists
The AWU and MUA say vulnerabilities in Australia’s approvals regime are being exploited to stop or delay major projects and must be changed to save jobs.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Westpac boss to fly to Tiwi Islands to discuss Santos project
After a four-hour AGM in Brisbane, Peter King has committed to visiting the Tiwi following concerns about consultation on Santos’ Barossa project.
- James Eyers
Victoria to offer discounts to switch stoves from gas to electric
The Victorian government has expanded its plan to end the use of consumer gas by offering discounts for residents upgrading to electric induction cooktops.
- Gus McCubbing
Greenpeace takes Woodside to court alleging greenwashing
The environmental activists allege the oil and gas producer is misrepresenting its emission reduction efforts because it relies on carbon offsets.
- Updated
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
AEMO sharpens warnings on WA gas shortfall
Uncertainty around the timing of new gas developments is worsening the risk of shortages in the West Australian market, the energy market operator said.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
COP28 deal says gas to play role in energy transition
Climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen hailed the stronger than expected COP28 outcome as a way to bolster Australia’s transition to renewable energy.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Santos could draw global interest amid Woodside talks
Expectations of global interest in Santos came as CEO Kevin Gallagher told staff Woodside had approached Santos several times over the past year or so.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
Activist pressures weigh on Santos’ PNG growth
Slow work on financing the $US12 billion Papua LNG project come as ExxonMobil voices ambitions for further major gas growth tapping the Wildebeest prospect.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
- Updated
- Energy transition
Fossil fuel phase-out good for Australia, Bowen says
The climate and energy minister says if COP28 can agree to tough action on fossil fuels, it will create opportunities for Australia as a renewables superpower.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
PNG says it wants priority in Woodside Energy-Santos merger
The comments from Kerenga Kua, the country’s petroleum minister, came as the companies opened virtual data rooms ahead of several weeks of due diligence.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Woodside, Santos $80b merger a game of stockmarket multiples
If Woodside is going to pull this off, it needs to convince Santos shareholders that the deal will bring them risk-free riches if they are a bit patient.
- Anthony Macdonald
Santos investors demand premium in Woodside mega-merger
Creating an $80 billion Australian “champion” with real clout on the global LNG stage faces a big challenge as Santos investors demand a decent premium.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Woodside-Santos merger could arrive with a skinny premium
Big scrip-based energy deals have been struck on very low premiums in the past three years. Expect the Woodside-Santos talks to proceed along the same lines.
- Updated
- James Thomson
The Crocodile Man stands in the way of Santos’ $5.8b gas dream
Disputed beliefs among Tiwi Islanders about paths taken by Dreamtime figures are central to an environmentalist-backed fight against the Barossa development.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
- Updated
- Mergers & acquisitions
Santos, Woodside in talks on $80b oil, gas merger
The two companies have confirmed that they had entered preliminary discussions, in a surprise move that reflects a global trend of consolidation in the sector.
- Angela Macdonald-Smith
