New analysis reveals Woodside's Browse plans still too risky for turtles, whales

Greenpeace Australia Pacific

SYDNEY, Tuesday 21 April 2026 — New analysis of Woodside’s amended turtle and whale management plans for its Browse gas proposal has revealed supposed ‘mitigation methods’ still risk extinction of green turtles, will risk killing endangered whales and will likely accelerate the sinking of the only local turtle nesting ground at Scott Reef.

The independent technical analyses, commissioned by Greenpeace Australia Pacific and prepared by Oceanwise and whale expert Dr. Olaf Meynecke, also reveals Woodside’s plans rely on outdated or misrepresented data, are not in line with requirements under the EPBC Act and directly oppose Australia's Conservation Management Plan for Blue Whales.

Woodside was forced to resubmit its Turtle Management Plan and Pygmy Blue Whale Management Plan after it was revealed WA’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had issued a preliminary rejection of the Browse project in 2024 due to ‘unacceptable impacts’ on nature at Scott Reef. 

Hannah Schuch, senior campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “The EPA sent Woodside back to the drawing board for its Browse project because it was too risky for the endemic and endangered animals at Australia’s largest freestanding oceanic reef, Scott Reef.

“This new analysis shows that the ‘revised’ plans should not bring comfort to the EPA, the government or the Australian public, and still threaten to send green turtles extinct, sink a unique turtle nesting ground, and disrupt, injure or even kill endangered pygmy blue whales. Woodside has simply rolled its awful plan in glitter – the Browse plans are still too risky.”

The EPA is expected to hand down its recommendation on the Browse project this year.

Woodside’s planned Browse gas field would entail drilling up to 57 wells as close as two kilometres from Scott Reef, home to nesting sea turtles, endangered pygmy blue whales and dusky sea snakes.

Co-author of the Pygmy Blue Whale Plan analysis, Dr. Olaf Meynecke, said: “Woodside’s Management Plan for Scott Reef falls short of acknowledging the region as a critical habitat for pygmy blue whales. Scott Reef is an anchor point and whale hub for pygmy blue whales. The region provides shelter for mother-calf pairs during their long journeys from Indonesia to Australia and, most importantly, an area where they can feed to replenish nutrients when returning from their tropical breeding grounds.”

Schuch added: “Woodside can’t be trusted with Scott Reef. It was asked to put forward mitigation plans to ‘lower risk on the West Australian environment’, and it has presented a weak, gussied-up version of its original dangerous plans. The impacts on Scott Reef are still unacceptable, and Browse must be rejected. 

“Scott Reef will be a major threshold test for this government’s legacy on nature protection–it’s time for Murray Watt to save Australia's largest oceanic reef, Scott Reef, from Woodside’s massive fossil fuel project in the middle of endangered whale and turtle habitat.”

The analysis comes just days before Woodside is due to face shareholders and concerned community groups at its Annual General Meeting in Perth on Thursday. Each year, hundreds gather to protest Browse during the meeting, citing environmental and climate risks of Browse. This year, community groups, including Greenpeace, are calling on the Federal Government to save Scott Reef by saying no to Woodside’s Browse project.

—ENDS—

Notes to Editor

High res images and footage of Scott Reef can be found here

Contact: Kimberley Bernard on +61 407 581 404 or [email protected] or Emma Sangalli on +61 431 513 465 or [email protected]