Woodside Petroleum Limited (WPL) said that the costs of Pluto project has blown out by between 6% and 10% from the $11.2 billion cost anticipated when the project was approved in July 2007. The increase in cost was due to lower than budgeted productivity in onshore and offshore construction. The project was still on track to deliver its first natural gas in early 2011 the company added.

Bow Energy Limited (BOW) announced a further reserve upgrade of 454 petajoules (PJ) for its Blackwater CSG field in Central Queensland, increasing Bow’s total net 3P Reserves to 1,447 PJ. The company said Independent consultants certified 1,340PJ of 3P gas reserves within the Blackwater CSG field. 378 PJ of 2C resource has also been certified within the Rangal and Burngrove coal seams in the south eastern corner of the Blackwater CSG field. Bow said the upgrade from the Burngrove Coal Measures represents a 51% increase over the previous reserves certified for the Blackwater CSG field. The company said its current net 3P certified reserves now exceeds the company’s original end 2009 target of 750 PJ of 3P gas reserves by 93% and its end 2010 target of 850 PJ of 3P gas reserves for the Blackwater CSG field by 58% over twelve months ahead of schedule.

Integra Mining Limited (IGR) said it has accepted an offer of finance for the Randalls Gold Project from joint lenders BNP Paribas and Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC). Integra said the offer of finance for construction and development of the project includes a senior debt facility of $45 million, a cost overrun facility of $5 million and a performance bond facility of $5 million.