Santos makes Australasia progress
New discovery bolsters frontier WA basin’s prospects, while a PNG project also inches forward
ASX-listed Santos has made another “significant oil discovery” near its Dorado development off the coast of Western Australia (WA), which should further improve the viability of the Bedout basin for wider development. And it has also advanced a previously stalled Papua New Guinea (PNG) gas project, albeit the lead time for its realisation still looks concerningly long in an energy transition world. The Australian independent found success with its Pavo-1 exploration well, which is located around 46km east of the Dorado field. Santos says the new discovery is “similar” and “de-risks” the ongoing Dorado development. Pavo-1’s 2C resource is assessed at 43mn bl. The operator expects Pavo-1 “to s
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny






