Shock Departure Leaves Woodside Without Its Key Gas Champion

The surprise exit of Woodside Energy Group Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Meg O’Neill leaves her successor with a dilemma: should the Australian company continue down the path she set of promoting massive liquefied natural gas projects when forecasts point to a glut and lower prices?

O’Neill had been a forceful advocate for two major projects: Browse — a long-delayed plan to tap vast offshore reserves in Western Australia — and an expansion of the company’s export terminal in Louisiana, which is still under construction. Her stance reflected a company forecast for a 50% jump in global LNG demand over the next decade — one of the most bullish in the industry.