Woodside's Leviathan role in doubt

Woodside Petroleum (WPL) role in Israel's Leviathan gas field is in jeopardy, according to The Australian.

Leviathan's potential local partners are reportedly in talks to export the field's gas through pipelines to a number of neighbouring questions, while also casting uncertainty on the role liquefied natural gas (LNG) would or would not play in the project.

Woodside inked a $US1.3 billion ($A1.45 billion) deal to be part of the project and operate an LNG plant.

On Tuesday night, two Israeli project partners filed announcements to the Tel Aviv stock exchange reporting that the Leviathan joint venture is in talks regarding pipeline exports to Turkey, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan, The Australian reported.

The development further stoked speculation that Leviathan's stakeholders are increasingly exploring options that would involve exporting to neighbouring countries via pipelines at the expense of LNG capacity that would be operated by Woodside.