Four major gas facilities in Western Australia, responsible for nearly two-thirds of the state’s domestic gas supply over recent months, remain offline after ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle struck the region. Woodside’s Karratha Gas Plant, Chevron’s Wheatstone and Gorgon projects, and Santos’ Varanus Island operations all face disruptions as companies race to restart production amid global LNG shortages.
Impacts from Gale-Force Winds
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Narelle intensified to category four strength before downgrading to a tropical low. Gale-force winds battered Pilbara islands, with gusts reaching 159 km/h on Barrow Island, site of Chevron’s Gorgon facility. A Chevron spokesperson noted that an offshore platform at Wheatstone went offline midday, suspending LNG and domestic gas production. One of Gorgon’s three LNG trains also halted around 3 p.m. Thursday.
Woodside reported a production interruption at its Karratha Gas Plant, which processes gas from the North West Shelf project. The company stated production will resume once crews access offshore facilities safely.
Santos’ Varanus Island plant, 75 km off the Pilbara coast, tripped after winds hit 180 km/h Thursday evening. A spokesperson said operations will normalize once weather clears and staff re-enter.
Industry and Expert Views
Independent gas analyst Jeanette Roberts highlighted the poor timing. “It’s certainly bad timing from that point of view,” she said. “When you look at the cost of living and fuel prices, the impact of the triple whammy could be really quite significant.”
Energy and climate journalist Peter Milne called it “a big deal” but urged calm. “It’s going to take some time for the weather to calm down so the workers can get out there, fly offshore to the platforms, inspect them, make sure everything’s okay, and fire them up again,” he explained. “The unknown is how long that will take.”
Milne noted reserves in the Dampier-Bunbury pipeline and underground storage will buffer southwest power needs. RATCH Australia, operator of the Kemerton gas-fired station near Bunbury, monitors closely but expects no major issues.
Government Ensures Supply Stability
WA Energy Minister Amber Jade Sanderson stated the facilities, built for cyclone zones, maintain domestic supply. A government spokesperson confirmed offshore workforces demobilized safely and affirmed ongoing collaboration with companies for consistent gas to customers.
Broader Context and Past Precedents
These outages hit during global energy strains from Middle East conflicts, including Qatar’s shipment halts after Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade and missile strikes on a key plant. Roberts recalled the 2008 Varanus Island explosion, which cut a third of WA’s supply for two months, affecting Pilbara miners like BHP and Rio Tinto, plus 150 small businesses.
