Angus Scott

Gas giant Woodside has hit back at claims by activist groups that the federal environment minister's department "negotiated" with the company ahead of approving a 40-year extension to its North West Shelf project.

Activist group Friends of Australian Rock Art have alleged environment and water minister Murray Watt "cherry picked" potential economic and social benefits of Woodside's North West Shelf project while ignoring the harms.

Communications between the environment minister's department and Woodside over the gas company's controversial North West Shelf project raised concerns about the apprehension of bias, activist group Australian Conservation Foundation has told a trial judge.

An activist group has amended its challenge to Woodside's North West Shelf gas project to allege the Environment Minister delayed publishing his reasons for approving the project in order to limit challenges, with the court hearing the dispute will likely wind up at the High Court. 

Two activist groups have launched fresh action against Woodside's North West Shelf gas project, after the energy company secured final government approval for an extension to the venture.