Storm Narelle Knocks Out Power, Disrupts Australia’s Natural Gas Production

More than a week after Storm Narelle struck Australia's northwest region, thousands remain without electricity and major natural gas facilities continue experiencing production problems. The disruptions at plants operated by Chevron and Woodside are worsening global energy supply shortages already strained by ongoing conflicts.

SYDNEY – More than a week after Storm Narelle battered Australia’s northwest coast, energy production facilities continue struggling to resume normal operations while thousands of residents remain in the dark, according to Sunday reports.

The weather system, which was downgraded from tropical cyclone status on Saturday, has caused significant interruptions at major liquefied natural gas facilities operated by energy giants Chevron and Woodside. These disruptions are adding pressure to an already tight global energy market strained by supply shortages linked to the ongoing Iran conflict that began a month ago.

Following damage from Iranian attacks that forced Qatar to suspend its LNG operations, Australia has stepped up as the world’s second-largest exporter of liquefied natural gas.

Woodside Australia reported Sunday that conditions at their operations remained unchanged. Storm Narelle continued affecting output at the company’s Karratha gas processing plant on Saturday, which handles production for the North West Shelf project. However, the company’s Macedon and Pluto operations were running normally.

Chevron had not provided updated information by Sunday. The company stated Saturday that crews were working to bring their Gorgon and Wheatstone gas plants back online after Narelle forced production shutdowns.

The Gorgon facility stands as Australia’s biggest LNG export operation, featuring three processing units that generate 15.6 million metric tons annually. Meanwhile, Wheatstone operates two processing units with an annual capacity of 8.9 million tons.

Electrical service remained cut off late Saturday in Exmouth, a community of 2,800 residents located approximately 1,100 kilometers north of Perth, Western Australia’s capital city, emergency services officials confirmed.

Horizon Power, the government-owned utility company, announced that additional repair teams were heading to Exmouth “to support local crews to restore power to affected properties as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The town of Exmouth, which serves as an access point to the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Ningaloo Reef, sustained considerable damage during the cyclone, though no injuries were reported, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Storm Narelle first reached land as a severe tropical cyclone in Queensland on March 20, then moved across the Northern Territory before striking Western Australia.