NEW YORK, March 26, 2026, 17:28 EDT
Woodside Energy Group’s U.S. shares ticked up about 0.7% to $23.82 late Thursday, after the Australian firm announced it now runs the Beaumont New Ammonia facility in Texas, taking the reins from OCI Global. Earlier, Sydney trading saw the stock advance 1.8% to A$34.24, according to Reuters-delayed figures.
This is significant right now for one reason: Liz Westcott just stepped in as CEO last week, and Beaumont lands among the first major operational tests with her at the helm, as Woodside runs through a packed project lineup.
Another piece: commodities. Brent finished Thursday at $108.01 a barrel. Asian LNG? Up 143% since Feb. 28, after war rattled Qatar and the Strait of Hormuz—supply’s tighter, and non-Gulf exporters look a lot more attractive.
Beaumont is no minor operation. Woodside has pegged the plant’s ammonia capacity at as much as 1.1 million tonnes annually. Output kicked off in December, and the company says it’s already inked offtake agreements—locking in advance sales at current market pricing for standard supply.
The trouble spot is that lower-carbon stream. During a briefing this month, Westcott told attendees that demand remained healthy, although momentum was “slower to build up.” He also noted that third-party feedstock efforts, crucial for lower-carbon supply, weren’t keeping pace with the timeline. Woodside
The divide has also pushed the stocks higher. According to Reuters, shares of Woodside, Santos, and Norway’s Equinor have beaten broader energy benchmarks with investors snapping up Western gas names. U.S. exporter Cheniere, though, has surged even more.
Sector analysts are sticking with the near-term earnings outlook as long as prices stay put. “The first quarter is going to be phenomenal for these companies,” said Leo Mariani, senior research analyst at Roth Capital Partners, referring to the major energy producers. Reuters
Still, the bull case for cleaners isn’t airtight. Back in January, Woodside trimmed its 2026 production guidance. Reuters has noted that LNG shares could get choppy following their recent climb, even with a tight market.
Louisiana LNG still weighs on sentiment. Westcott has labeled it a priority, and just last month, Woodside revealed it’s negotiating to offload an additional 20% stake. Tim Waterer at KCM Trade described the strategy as a “smart way” to unlock value from the project and give some relief to the balance sheet. Reuters
