Greenpeace activists face 10 years in prison over Scarborough gas protest
Two protesters charged after scaling Woodside’s 70,000-tonne floating production unit off Western Australia.
Two Greenpeace activists now face serious criminal charges after boarding a Woodside Energy gas platform off Western Australia, disrupting operations at a critical stage of the Scarborough project.
Four protesters reached the 70,000-tonne semisubmersible facility early Saturday morning aboard Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior vessel. The platform sits 375 kilometres northwest of the Pilbara coast. Two activists remained on the structure overnight, suspended in tents while displaying a 12-by-14-metre banner that read ‘Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef’. The other two returned to the ship.
Protest ends with arrests and charges
The occupation concluded on Sunday when police arrived by helicopter and removed the remaining activists. On Monday, authorities confirmed that two men, aged 48 and 52, had been charged with interfering with offshore petroleum installations. The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Both were scheduled to appear in Karratha Magistrates Court later that day.
Natural Gas
A joint statement from the Australian Border Force, Western Australia Police, and the offshore regulator NOPSEMA described the incident as unauthorised access that posed risks to safety and operations.
Woodside halts work as Greenpeace presses campaign
Woodside Energy confirmed it had paused pre-commissioning activities on the Scarborough unit following the protest, calling the action ‘dangerous, reckless, and illegal’. The company reported the project was 98% complete at the end of June, with first liquefied natural gas production expected in the final quarter of 2026.
Greenpeace defended the protest as peaceful, stating its goal was to pressure the Australian government to reject Woodside’s proposed Browse gas development. The environmental group claims the Browse project, which could involve drilling up to 57 wells near Scott Reef, threatens marine life including endangered pygmy blue whales and green sea turtles.
On Monday, Greenpeace delivered a 47-metre-long petition with nearly half a million signatures to Woodside’s Perth headquarters, reinforcing its opposition to both the Scarborough and Browse developments.
Sign up free to ask CAMAL AI for a summary, the key points or anything else about this story.
Related stories
CAMAL AI
Financial Ports Newsletter
The maritime economy, every morning
Ports, shipping and freight markets in one short email. Free.
