Recently retired Woodside chief, John Akehurst, has reignited talks of another Shell takeover bid for Woodside claiming that the reasons for blocking a merger between the oil companies are no longer as important.

Akehurst fervently opposed Shell's $10 billion takeover bid in 2001, which was eventually blocked by the Australian Treasurer Peter Costello due to a potential conflict of interest with the company's international interests such as the massive Sakhalin project just north of Japan.

However, Akehurst said that new contracts have been gained for the North West Shelf project, such as the $25 billion supply deal with China, making marketing a less important issue. Shell currently holds a 34% stake in Woodside. Akehurst added that as the North-West Shelf gas reserves become fully committed, the debate on control of the project would switch from the marketing of the gas to simple operational considerations.

Across the road former BHP Billiton top dog Paul Anderson has come full circle as his new employer, Duke Energy, becomes embroiled in a legal battle stemming from the sale of BHP's WA pipeline and power generations assets.

Duke Energy WA Power and Duke Energy's Australian holding company claim that BHP Billiton provided misleading and deceptive information about the capacity of its Port Hedland hot briquetted iron plant to recover after power losses.

In reply BHP Billiton has claimed that Duke companies owe $7.5 million plus damages because of two interruptions in 2000 to the power that Duke provided to the iron ore upgrading facility.

A Federal Court hearing between the companies was called off yesterday as both legal teams discussed steps to proceed with the case.