2026-10-27
The fact environmental authorities found a litany of issues with Woodside’s Browse gas project should be the final nail in its coffin.
A draft letter from the Western Australian Environment Protection Authority, dated 2023 and now published by the Guardian, predicts “irreversible” and “catastrophic” impacts on sensitive environments like Scott Reef in the event one of the wells starts leaking.
In the best case scenario it would take 13 days to cap a leaking well.
This would lead to “irreversible” consequences on the surrounding environment.
Experts cited in the letter also reviewed Woodside’s claims and found it had underestimated the impacts of its proposed drilling on the habitat of green turtles.
A revised proposal remains before federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, but this will still cause widespread environmental damage.
Browse will emit 1.6 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases over its lifespan, which will directly lead to hundreds of deaths and cause massive bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.
Lines attributable to Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Vanessa Bleyer:
“This letter confirms what we already know. Woodside’s Browse Project should not go ahead.
“Environmental authorities found the risks to our precious marine life like endangered turtles, blue whales, and corals that rival the Great Barrier Reef are far too great, despite what Woodside suggested.
“The same can be said for the risks to human life.
“Whether it’s a well leaking for weeks at a time or the extra emissions generated by gas from Browse this project is an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
“The project before the federal government in 2026 is fundamentally the same as the one the Western Australian EPA was prepared to reject in 2024.
“Environment Minister Murray Watt should follow WA’s lead and reject Browse.”