Inpex (TYO: 1605) Ichthys LNG Workers Begin Strikes, Threaten Broader Halt From June 11

Union workers at Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project in Australia launched limited industrial action on June 2, 2026, stoking supply concerns as a broader work suspension looms from June 11 if a wage deal isn’t reached. The Offshore Alliance said employees will stop work for two hours each morning and evening, escalating to a ban on preparing, connecting, and loading hydrocarbons from onshore storage tanks unless wage talks yield an agreement. The Ichthys facility produces 9.3 million tons of LNG annually, accounting for roughly 10% of Australia’s total exports of the superchilled fuel. A prolonged disruption threatens Asian importers, especially Japan, the world’s second-largest LNG buyer, which recently turned back to coal amid Middle Eastern supply constraints. Negotiations with Inpex had shown some progress but have yet to produce a final wage accord, the union said. The current partial strikes serve as a precursor to a full suspension set to last until June 23 if demands remain unmet.