Woodside Energy is moving through one of the most execution intensive phases in its history. Across Australia, the US Gulf Coast and Mexico, the company is simultaneously commissioning, constructing and drilling on a portfolio that stretches from LNG to ammonia and deepwater oil.

Four projects in particular highlight the scale and complexity of the current program, Scarborough, Louisiana LNG, Beaumont New Ammonia and Trion.

Scarborough Gas Field nearing completion

The Scarborough development is now 94 percent complete and remains on budget, with first LNG cargo targeted in Q4 2026. The project links the offshore Scarborough field to Pluto Train 2 at the Pluto LNG complex in Western Australia.

Execution has been driven by a heavyweight contractor line up. McDermott International has played a central role in offshore platform fabrication and installation, while Saipem has been active on subsea and pipeline scopes. Onshore, Bechtel is delivering Pluto Train 2, one of the most significant LNG expansions underway globally.

With offshore installation largely complete and onshore construction in advanced stages, the focus has shifted to mechanical completion and integrated commissioning. For the EPC market, this represents a transition from heavy fabrication to high value commissioning and start up services through 2026.

Louisiana LNG enters heavy construction

Woodside’s Louisiana LNG project is 22 percent complete and targeting first production in 2029. The site in Calcasieu Parish is steadily moving from early civil works into full scale vertical construction.

Bechtel is leading EPC execution, bringing its extensive US Gulf Coast LNG experience to the development. Major equipment suppliers across liquefaction, refrigeration and compression are already engaged, with long lead items progressing through fabrication.

At this stage, structural steel erection, tank construction and module setting are becoming increasingly visible on site. Louisiana LNG is positioned as Woodside’s strategic bridge into the US export market, and its progress signals a multi year construction runway that will intensify through 2027 and 2028.

Beaumont New Ammonia Project achieves first production

In Texas, the Beaumont New Ammonia project achieved first ammonia production in December 2025 and is now in ongoing commissioning. This milestone marks Woodside Energy’s entry into large scale lower carbon ammonia production on the US Gulf Coast.

The engineering and construction phase has been led by Maire and its subsidiary NextChem, with Excel Contractors playing a key role in field construction and mechanical execution. Together, the contractor team delivered a world scale ammonia facility integrated with Gulf Coast infrastructure and export logistics.

With first production secured, the emphasis now shifts to performance testing, optimization and reliability runs. For contractors, the transition from build to operate often unlocks additional brownfield scopes, including debottlenecking programs, emissions optimization packages and potential integration with expanded storage and export infrastructure along the Texas coast.

Trion Oil Field reaches the halfway mark

Offshore Mexico, the Trion deepwater project is 50 percent complete and targeting first oil in 2028. Drilling is expected to commence in early 2026, marking the next major execution phase.

TechnipFMC has secured key subsea engineering and installation scopes, while SBM Offshore is responsible for the floating production system. The project combines complex subsea architecture with a high capacity FPSO, making integration and schedule discipline critical.

At the midpoint, topsides fabrication, hull conversion and subsea equipment manufacturing are central to maintaining the 2028 timeline. The start of drilling in 2026 will further expand activity across drilling contractors and well services providers.

A diversified execution wave

What stands out across these four projects is not just scale, but sequencing. Scarborough is moving toward final commissioning. Louisiana LNG is building momentum in early construction. Beaumont has crossed into operations. Trion is advancing through deepwater fabrication and approaching drilling.

For the EPC market, this staggered progression creates sustained demand rather than a single peak. Major contractors such as McDermott, Saipem, Bechtel, TechnipFMC and SBM Offshore are embedded across the portfolio, while a broad layer of subcontractors and equipment suppliers follow behind.

Woodside’s program demonstrates how a diversified project slate across LNG, chemicals and offshore oil can smooth execution risk while keeping contractor pipelines full. As 2026 approaches, the company’s ability to deliver Scarborough on schedule while ramping Louisiana LNG and Trion will be closely watched across the global EPC community.