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.

A move for Woodside, Australia’s top gas exporter, would expand its presence outside the US and push the company toward LNG.

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.

As a leading LNG producer with established relationships across key Asian markets, the Australian company would provide immediate scale in a sector where Exxon has historically…