---
title: Offshore wind could blow away lingering gas clouds
description: As BHP considers an exit from Australia oil and gas, notorious gas giant Woodside is eyeing off BHP’s assets
---
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# Offshore wind could blow away lingering gas clouds
Thursday, 22 July 2021
As BHP considers an exit from Australia oil and gas, notorious gas giant Woodside is eyeing off BHP’s assets. Still on the gas, doubts have been raised about financial viability of the Kurri Kurri gas power station tipped for the Hunter, considering the declining role of gas in Australia’s energy mix. And the NSW State Government’s Strategic Statement on Gas, released yesterday, has pleased exactly no one, with its plan to extinguish some coal seam gas exploration licenses but renew others - on some of Australia’s most productive farmland.
After all that gas, we need some wind to blow it all away - and a new report says offshore wind could generate both energy and jobs at the site of existing coal-fired power stations.
**TODAY'S TOP CLIMATE NEWS**
[Woodside tipped as lead contender if BHP quits Australian oil and gas](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjyxvqewq76vb85thpyv9ec5ujyrknedmpwtbkecqp6vvde1gpwub5ecqqevvfchtpjt355nu6jw3gcnj2urbk5np6arb45nhpyvkmcnq68tbj5nmpcbb2d1r2uwbnd5u76bb1entq8wk1dhmp2vhddxmprbb1dtj2utv1ecpk4c1j64r3echh5nr3ae32ehu2wu3mdnp0&n=2)Woodside Petroleum is being touted as the leading contender to buy BHP’s Australian oil and gas assets in the event the mining heavyweight puts the division up for sale as part of a broader push to decarbonise its business.
[NSW kills “zombie” gas licences, but brings Narrabri back from the dead](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjywk5dtjqetb3dxq6yvbt5thpyv9ec5ujyvkkewpppubcdhtjuykfdnh6jt9dcxgq6bbcd5hpavk3cntjurknegpp4wk9dtkq6bbec5t74rb2e9mjurk1cdnjutkjdxpjux38cmpp8tb1cgqg&n=3)
The NSW government has copped criticism from gas producers and environmental groups alike for a plan to dramatically reduce the amount of land available for gas exploration but which preserves access to areas already earmarked for massive new gas developments.
[Falling gas demand casts new doubt over viability of Kurri gas plant](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjyxvqewq6wtbqcdgq6x3ccnm6awk1dhj2wrvfdmq62x9fedu6ywkt5wvk6d9g6wvk8bvecnvjut3fenh78wtddxv6awhddduq4wk95nkp2wtde1p62vkm5nv6jrb2d5p6jx3t5w&n=4)
Fresh doubts have been raised about the viability of the federal government's proposed Kurri Kurri gas peaking plant following the release of new data showing demand for gas is declining
[Geelong’s at an “energy crossroads”, environmental group claims](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjyx39dnjq6vk5extpewkfenr2wrvfdmq62x9fcxjpav3fdtkq8ubdcntjyvk5extjytv5cnp6yvk7ecpp2x1dc5q2utbecnt6ey9dcdt6ywvke9qp2t3k5njpwxk9e9qpwvb5dtu62v1dcxt6yxbg5nhprrb9dntjy&n=5)An environmental group claims the simultaneous milestones for both a “big battery” and a gas import terminal near Geelong mean the city has reached an “energy crossroads” about its future.
[Australia has huge potential to develop offshore windfarms near existing substations, report says](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjyxvqewq78u35cxup2wk4d5gpwbk3dxpjytbeetmq4vvednjpwx1f68r34c9fd9uprbtj68qp2xbkeht62v39c4ppgrbk5nm7atv55nr6yx35dtu6jrbc5nu6ybb4cnv6av3fe0ppytk6edm6ywk55nvpjvk4ctgq4vbk5nq6arbj5njqgubkehmpwttdedup4wvmc5u6jvveecpq4tbgdxt78bbkc5wq6&n=6)Hunter and Latrobe valleys considered particularly suitable sites as union says industry could offer oil and gas workers a career transition
[Japan to boost renewable energy to meet emissions target](https://greenpeace.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=greenpeace&m=s_7c3a994b-01e2-4ee1-a4b1-b0a14019aaf3&u=e1jq4wvfdtfkada474umae1k5n1kec1h5mu4ch9m5mw30ghh5mv46cj664u3ee1n84u3j&r2=d1u78w3k78qjyxvqewq68rb9dhwpurb9dgq66vteennjyxv9e9jq6bv1e0qp2wkmd5hprt9d74w32c1q68wjyjk1e1gpwbb2dxqq6x1de9jpwtbqc5h6rt9dcnq6awk7f4pputb5egppavb9edtpjvveecpq8rbjcxjq8bk8ehppr&n=7)Japan aims to drastically increase its renewable energy use and reduce fossil fuel consumption over the next decade as its pushes to meet its ambitious emissions reduction target, according to a draft of a new energy plan presented Wednesday.
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