Oil giant Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) has appointed a new head of its North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project.

According to a report in The Australian Financial Review Kevin Gallagher, executive vice president of the company’s Australian business unit, is to replace Eve Howell at the helm of the operation.

Ms Howell will now move into the position of head of Woodside’s health and safety division.

The North West Shelf operation is the largest resources project in Australia, with the paper saying it accounts for 1% of the country’s gross domestic product and generates over $1 billion in royalties for the government each year.

Woodside Petroleum reported net profit after tax of $1.786 billion for the 2008 calendar year.