Woodside Energy says it will extend the life of its North West Shelf beyond 2025.

Woodside has reached an agreement that will see it process the gas resources of Chevron’s Clio-Acme fields and the Woodside-led Browse joint venture at its North West Shelf (NWS) facilities.

The agreement brings to life the Burrup Hub concept, and extend the operating life of the NWS Karratha gas plant beyond 2025.

Gas from Clio-Acme will be brought through Woodside’s Pluto offshore infrastructure to the Burrup Hub via the proposed Pluto-NWS interconnector pipeline.

“Central to our vision for the Burrup Hub is the transition of the Karratha gas plant into a third-party tolling facility as the NWS joint venture fields reach the end of their lives,” said Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman.

“The Browse joint venture will be the anchor tenant underpinning that transition, and this preliminary agreement enables the participants to progress toward an earlier final investment decision to develop the gas resource, targeted for 2020.

“The Burrup Hub will unlock the future value of the NWS and Pluto infrastructure by ensuring these world-class assets continue providing returns to the nation, state and local communities, and the participants’ shareholders, for many years to come.”