Australian oil and gas company Woodside Energy is selling down its equity stake in its Louisiana LNG project, starting with the sale of a 40 percent stake to U.S.-based investment firm Stonepeak.

Woodside is getting near to a final investment decision on the LNG production and export project, which it acquired in a $900 million takeover of developer Tellurian last October. The cost of implementing the entire five-train facility near Lake Charles, Louisiana is estimated at $27 billion.

The Australian company says that the sale of the 40 percent stake to Stonepeak is timely. Stonepeak is expected to inject $5.7 billion in capital expenditure into the project, covering 75 percent of the project’s capital needs in both 2025 and 2026.

Woodside says that the stake sale reduces its capital expenditure profile and brings the project one step closer to a FID. Talks continue with other potential partners as Woodside aims to sell another 10 percent stake in the project. Its aim is to retain a 50 percent operating stake in the megaproject, which will produce 27.6 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) when complete.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to a positive FID and the needed regulatory, legal, and other approvals. At that point, Stonepeak is expected to make available $2 billion as part of its capex contribution.

The Louisiana LNG project is being built in four phases. Phase I includes two trains with a capacity to produce 11 MTPA, while Phase II has one train with a capacity of 5.5 MTPA. In December last year, Bechtel was awarded the contract for phases one and two, which are estimated to cost $900 to $960 per tonne of capacity. Construction is already well under way, ahead of a final investment decision. 

“The project represents a compelling opportunity to invest in a newbuild LNG export facility nearing FID approval with an attractive risk-return profile and best-in-class partners in both Bechtel and Woodside to construct and operate the asset,” said James Wyper, Stonepeak Senior Managing Director and Head of US Private Equity.

He added the significant additional capacity from the Louisiana LNG project will be central in further propelling the status of the U.S as a leading LNG exporter. The country exported 11.9 billion cubic feet per day of LNG in 2024, remaining the world’s largest exporter.