Australia’s Dorado oilfield set for 2026 startup
The field is one of more than 100 potential prospects in the Bedout basin, says Carnarvon CEO Adrian Cook
The Dorado oilfield in Western Australia’s (WA’s) Bedout basin is on track for FID this year and first production in early 2026, Adrian Cook, CEO of Australian independent Carnarvon, tells Petroleum Economist. The field will initially produce 75,000-100,000bl/d and would pay back its capital investment within 12 months at current oil prices, he continues. That expected quick return on investment is a major benefit for Dorado. And global concerns about security of fuel supply will also help the development, Cook says. Dorado will use a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, and its crude is likely to go to Singaporean refineries as BP has closed the Kwinana refinery near P
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy






