Jun 14, 2026 – 12.47pmExxonMobil would be highly unlikely to secure federal government approval for a takeover of Woodside Energy, according to Woodside insiders and watchers, after a report that the US giant is studying Australia’s biggest listed gas producer among potential acquisition targets.The US company has been holding internal discussions about acquisition targets, with Perth-based Woodside one of several on the radar, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing people with knowledge of the situation who it did not identify.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Fuel crisis raises stakes around $60b Woodside takeover interest
Acquiring the Australian gas producer would be difficult during the energy crisis, and US giant ExxonMobil seems an unlikely buyer, company insiders and analysts say.
TL;DRAI
ExxonMobil considers $60B Woodside Energy acquisition but faces government veto amid fuel security concerns. Foreign acquisitions of critical infrastructure now face tighter regulatory gates, signaling broader trend toward state control of essential resources in energy and digital supply chains.
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