Shares in Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX:WPL) closed higher yesterday after the oil and gas producer released a draft environmental impact statement for its proposed $30 billion Browse liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia.
The public is now invited to review the plans for the project which has attracted criticism and campaigning over fears it will damage the environment.
The report details the anticipated impact from construction and development and concludes that no significant environmental risk is expected.
However, among the warnings, the report notes nesting green turtles could be disturbed due to artificial lighting and whales could be impacted from drilling noise.
Woodside expects to make a final investment decision on the project by mid 2012.
In the first half of its 2011 financial year Woodside’s net profit fell 8 per cent to $772 million.
