But the amended forecast is still higher than the 70-71MMboe Woodside expects to produce in 2007.

Managing director and chief executive Don Voelte told investors at a briefing in Sydney that the cut was mainly due to asset divestments and project start-up delays.

“It’s mainly in the start-up and ramp-up in new projects, where the major delay is,” he was quoted by AAP as saying.

Woodside has sold its Legendre oil assets off the coast of Western Australia and its Mauritania assets in Africa.

Start-up delays at the Neptune project in the Gulf of Mexico and the Vincent project in WA have also been blamed for the reduced output.

Voelte said future production up until the end of 2010 would remain in line with 2008 output until the company’s $12 billion Pluto liquefied natural gas project comes on stream.