Woodside Energy has suspended pre-commissioning activities at its Scarborough gas project's floating production unit (FPU) offshore Western Australia following a Greenpeace protest that saw two activists occupy the facility for two days before being taken into police custody.
Woodside suspended pre-commissioning work at the Scarborough FPU on Saturday following the activists' unauthorized entry, with operations still on hold as of Sunday, according to media reports citing a company spokesperson.
The activists from Greenpeace Australia Pacific climbed onto the FPU, located more than 200 kilometers off the coast of Exmouth, at approximately 5:45 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 17.
Using specialized climbing equipment, they attached themselves to the offshore facility and displayed banners reading "Stop Woodside's Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef."
The protest targeted Woodside's proposed Browse gas development at Scott Reef, rather than the Scarborough project itself.
Specialist police personnel arrived at the Scarborough FPU by helicopter at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to Greenpeace.
The activists subsequently detached themselves from their climbing equipment and were taken into police custody at around 1 p.m., ending the two-day occupation.
No charges had been laid at the time of Greenpeace's October 18 statement.
Australian Border Force said it was coordinating with federal and state authorities in response to the incident but provided no further information on Sunday, media reports said.
Western Australia police had not responded to media requests for comment at the time of reporting.
The activists travelled to the Scarborough facility aboard Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior, which has been campaigning against Woodside's proposed Browse gas development.
Greenpeace opposes Woodside's plans to drill up to 57 wells at Scott Reef, arguing that the development threatens the marine ecosystem, including nesting green sea turtles and pygmy blue whales.
"Woodside's reckless proposal to drill at Scott Reef is an unacceptable risk to Scott Reef and to the climate, which our government should emphatically reject," said David Ritter, chief executive of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
Greenpeace said approximately half a million people had called on Australian authorities to reject Woodside's plans at Scott Reef.
The Rainbow Warrior had visited Scott Reef before travelling to the Scarborough facility, according to the organization.
Woodside's Scarborough gas project and its proposed Browse development are separate projects, with the protest taking place at the former to draw attention to the latter.