Santos eyes restart of Australia’s huge gas project next week

April 8, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Australian energy player Santos has disclosed a timeline for the resumption of production at its gas project off the coast of Australia’s Northern Territory.

BW Opal floating production storage and offloading unit — BW Opal; Source: BW Offshore

Santos claims to be progressing the Barossa gas project towards restarting production and delivering full rates, following a temporary production stop at the Darwin LNG project due to teething issues related to BW Offshore’s FPSO BW Opal.

The company explains that three cargoes have been sold in Q1 2026, while production was constrained due to commissioning activities. After a final investment decision was disclosed in March 2021, the FPSO BW Opal achieved first gas in September 2025.

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According to the Australian giant, dry gas seals on the FPSO compressors have been replaced to allow production at full capacity, and heat exchangers are now being flushed and cleaned to remove blockages.

As preparations continue to resume production, the start-up is currently expected around April 18, 2026. The initial LNG production began after the completion of the Darwin LNG life extension project and cool down of the LNG train and storage tank.

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The FPSO BW Opal, which is situated at the Barossa gas field, approximately 285 kilometers offshore Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia, is expected to feed the Darwin LNG plant for the next two decades.