Mar. 2012 - Woodside's Pluto LNG project has reached ready for start-up and first gas has entered the processing train. First production of LNG will take place in the coming weeks, followed by deliveries to foundation customers and project participants Kansai Electric and Tokyo Gas. The initial phase of the Pluto LNG project comprises an offshore platform in 279 feet (85 meters) of water, connected to five subsea wells on the Pluto gas field. Gas will be piped through a 112-mile (180-kilometer) trunkline to an onshore facility.

Feb. 2012 - Woodside Petroleum has made a discovery in the Ragnar-1 well offshore Australia in permit WA-430-P. The well intersected 623 feet (190 meters) of gross gas.

Oct. 2010 - Woodside has agreed to buy out Hess' share of an exploration permit offshore Western Australia to expand its Pluto LNG project. Woodside and Hess jointly hold the permit that contains the Martell, Noblige, Larsen and Larsen Deep gas discoveries, as well as other leads and prospects. Once the transaction is completed, Woodside will wholly own the permit that is claimed to be a pivotal area for Pluto's expansion. Pluto's first phase of production is expected to start by the end of February. Discovered in April 2005, the Pluto gas field is located on permit WA-350-P and license WA-34-L, about 118 miles (190 kilometers) northwest of Karratha on the coast of Western Australia. The massive gas find is expected to hold 4.4 Tcf (125 Bcm) of recoverable dry gas reserves.

Apr. 2010 - By the end of March 2010, the Pluto LNG project was nearing completion with only a quarter left to complete. The project is on target to commence first gas by the end of 2010 and first LNG in early 2011, contingent on a productive industrial relations environment. Hook-up and commissioning work on Pluto's offshore platform continues, as well as rock dumping, which is occurring over sections of the offshore pipeline between the platform and onshore site. Rock dumping is planned for completion in April 2010. Pluto's fifth and final production well is also scheduled for completion in the second half of 2010. Located offshore Western Australia, the Pluto project is situated in the highly productive Carnarvon Basin.

Jan. 2010 - Measurement-while-drilling logs spanning several levels of Woodside's Noblige-1 exploration well in permit WA-404-P indicated the presence of gas, including a gross interval of roughly 984 feet (300 meters) in the intra-Triassic primary target. With deeper targets planned for the well, drilling will continue before a full evaluation is performed. Noblige-1 is situated in the WA-404-P permit area in Western Australia's Carnarvon Basin in the Greater Pluto Area. Woodside Energy operates WA-404-P, holding a 50% interest; Hess Exploration holds the remaining 50% interest.

Dec. 2009 - Woodside will commence exploratory drilling on the Noblige prospect on Block WA-404-P offshore Australia. Noblige is located in the Central Hub and is one of nine prospects Woodside will drill on Block 404-P during 2010. The operator will utilize the Jack Bates semisub to drill the Noblige exploratory well, which is targeting gas. Noblige is adjacent to the recent Martell gas discovery, located in the Carnarvon Basin. Woodside operates Block WA-404-P and holds a 50% interest; Hess holds the remaining 50%.

Nov. 2009 - A gas discovery was made on the Eris-1 well, located in the Greater Pluto Area offshore Western Australia in 686 feet (209 meters) of water, and potentially boosting reserves to the natural gas project. The discovery well (one of 20 exploration wells targeting Pluto's expansion) was drilled by the Songa Mercur semisub, encountering 197 feet (60 meters) of gas in well-developed sands. Located offshore Western Australia, the gas fields are situated in the highly productive Carnarvon Basin.

Nov. 2009 - Woodside reviewed the cost and schedule of the Pluto foundation project and announced that the project is 82% complete and is on target to commence production at the end of 2010 with first production of LNG expected in 2011. The operator also estimates that the final price of the project will be 6 to 10% over the $11.2 billion budget. The Pluto LNG Project incorporates gas production from two offshore fields: Pluto and Xena, which are located offshore Western Australia in the highly productive Carnarvon Basin.

Nov. 2009 - Woodside awarded two contracts to Foster Wheeler, WorleyParsons, and KBR, for the engineering, procurement and construction management phase of Pluto Train 2 and 3, which should near completion in the second half of 2010. The Pluto gas field is located on permit WA-350-P and license WA-34-L, about 118 miles (190 kilometers) northwest of Karratha on the coast of Western Australia. The field development plan includes five subsea big bore wells producing to a shallow-water production platform 17 miles (27 kilometers) away.

Oct. 2009 - According to newswire reports, two potential gas suppliers for Woodside Petroleum's Pluto LNG project have decided to direct the gas to a Chevron project rather than to Pluto. While some believe Woodside may become more reliant on exploration successes to supply the project, the company is downplaying the loss and is negotiating supply arrangements with other gas owners in the region.

Oct. 2009 - Jumbo Shipping's heavy lift vessel Daniella completed the 11th and final voyage for the Pluto LNG project in Dampier, Australia. Between October 2008 and October 2009 the vessel transported 256 pieces of equipment for this project, including pre-assembled structures and pipe racks weighing up to 265 tons (240 tonnes). The Pluto LNG project in Dampier is developed by EPC-contractor Foster Wheeler WorleyParsons for Australian energy major Woodside. The project comprises the installation of five subsea production wells connected to an onshore LNG processing train (plant) to be constructed on the Burrup Peninsula LNG Park near the port of Dampier. The project will be developed in a record-time of five years, with discovery of the gas field in 2005 and planned production of first gas in 2010.

Sep. 2009 - Ferguson Modular will supply Woodside with a 15-module complex providing accommodation for 48 persons on board, complete with galley, mess, office and medic facilities, under two contracts. The AU $12 billion Pluto field near Karratha is estimated to contain a total dry gas recoverable reserve volume of 4 Tcf. It is on track to become the fastest developed LNG project in the world from discovery of the field in 2005 to production of first gas forecast for late 2010. The Pluto gas field is located on permit WA-350-P and license WA-34-L, about 118 miles (190 kilometers) northwest of Karratha on the coast of Western Australia.

Aug. 2009 - Woodside Petroleum is in talks with five parties to potentially buy gas to underpin the expansion of its Pluto LNG development in Western Australia. The first LNG processing 'train' at Pluto is 72.5% complete and the company has all of the 4.85 Tcf it requires for this project, leaving a spare 0.4 Tcf of gas for the Pluto Train 2 development. Pluto Train 1 is expected to produce first LNG in 2011 while Pluto Train 2 could come online in 2013.

May. 2009 - Recent reports from the UBS global oil and gas conference in Texas, have quoted Apache Corporation as stating that it "now expects to sell gas from its Julimar prospect exclusively to Woodside's Pluto Phase II LNG facility". Woodside advises that is has signed a non-binding letter with Apache Northwest Pty Ltd and Kufpec Australia Pty Ltd setting out key principles to facilitate negotiation on a non-exclusive basis of definitive agreements for the sale of agas from the Apache-operated Julimar and Brunello fields (WA-356-P) through a Woodside-operated Pluto LNG Train 2 at Karratha. Woodside continues to discuss Pluto Train 2 options with a number of parties in the Carnarvon Basin area.

Jan. 2008 - J. Ray McDermott was recently awarded a contract by Woodside for the Pluto offshore platform. The scope of work includes the installation engineering, transportation and installation of the complete platform.

Aug. 2007 - FMC Technologies has signed a contract with Woodside to provide a subsea system for the Pluto Project.

Jul. 2007 - Woodside Petroleum has approved development of the Lpluto LNG project based on the Pluto and Xena gas fields.

Sep. 2006 - Woodside reports that the Xena-1ST1 exploration well encountered a gross gas column of about 49 meters.

Aug. 2005 - Wooeside Energy has begun planning a new liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia based on the Pluto gas field.

Mar. 2005 - Wrooside reports that preliminary analysis indicates a gross gas column of approximately 209 meters at the Pluto-1 exploration well in the Carnarvon Basin.