Woodside Energy has celebrated early construction milestones at its $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG project, with work on the first train already more than 22% complete just four months after FID. The groundbreaking ceremony in south-west Louisiana was attended by community leaders alongside state and federal officials, underlining the project’s scale as the largest foreign direct investment in Louisiana’s history.

Project scope and capacity

The foundation development consists of three trains with a combined 16.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG capacity, targeting first production in 2029. With permits secured for up to 27.6 Mtpa, the facility is designed for two further expansion trains. Bechtel is leading EPC delivery under a lump-sum contract.
Subcontracts already awarded under Bechtel’s umbrella include cryogenic heat exchangers, compressors and turbines, LNG tank fabrication, and civil works. Approximately 85% of construction spend will flow to US suppliers, aligning with Woodside’s strategy of maximizing local content.

Workforce and execution

The construction workforce has already ramped up to nearly 900, with rapid progress credited to modularized execution and early works integration. Woodside expects activity to scale into the tens of thousands of jobs during peak construction. Bechtel’s scope includes liquefaction trains, pre-treatment facilities, LNG storage tanks, marine export jetties, utilities and balance of plant.

Financing and partners

Woodside sold a 40% stake in Louisiana LNG Infrastructure LLC to Stonepeak in June and is in active talks with additional potential equity partners for the holding company, Louisiana LNG LLC. The company remains operator with 60% and is targeting further sell-downs to high-quality investors to balance capital commitments.

Strategic context

CEO Meg O’Neill described the project as “a game-changer” for Woodside, positioning the company as a global LNG powerhouse. For the United States, Louisiana LNG will add significant export volumes, reinforcing its status as the world’s top LNG supplier while contributing billions in tax revenues and long-term local benefits.

Louisiana LNG President Sarah Bairstow emphasized safe execution under Bechtel and highlighted the 2029 delivery target for LNG supply into European and Asian markets.

With FID in April and visible progress by September, Woodside’s Louisiana LNG is already demonstrating momentum uncommon for a Gulf Coast megaproject, setting the stage for a rapid build-out of one of the largest LNG facilities in North America.