Santos (ASX:STO) has missed its end-of-year target to ship the first liquefied natural gas cargo from its $6.1 billion Barossa Gas Project in the Timor Sea, raising early concerns over the company's 2026 production outlook.
Initially approved for construction in March 2021, Barossa was scheduled to begin supplying gas to the Darwin LNG export plant by June 30, with the first cargo due in the December quarter.
After prolonged legal challenges, the start-up was delayed to late September, and while Santos confirmed in September that gas had begun flowing offshore, shipping data indicates no LNG tanker is currently in Darwin ready to load.
A company spokeswoman said repairs to offshore piping systems have caused production interruptions but stressed the careful approach aims to achieve higher reliability once full production is reached.