Australian listed energy groups may be getting busy on the acquisitions front, with talk of interest in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. (ASX:WDS)'s Pyrenees and Macedon oil and gas projects up for sale through Morgan Stanley. DataRoom understands bids for the assets, which are expected to sell for between $500 million and $1 billion, are due next month. Among the groups set to put in an offer are Carnarvon Energy Limited (ASX:CVN).

Carnarvon, the joint owner of the Dorado project in Western Australia with Santos, has a market value of $270 million but now has $175 million of cash on its balance sheet which it is keen to put to work. Canarvon recently finalised a deal with Taiwan's CPC Corp. to sell a 10% stake in its Dorado and Pavo projects, about 140km off the cost of Port Hedland, for an all-up payment of $146 million.

Canarvon recently finalised a deal with Taiwan's CPC Corp. to sell a 10% stake in its Dorado and Pavo projects, about 140km off the cost of Port Hedland, for an all-up payment of $146 million. Other groups believed to be keen are Beach Energy Limited (ASX:BPT) and Cooper Energy Limited (ASX:COE).

However, the talk is that both need funding partners and are in the market hunting for a joint venture suitor. And sourcing funding, particularly debt, for oil and gas is never an easy assignment as investors favour renewable energy opportunities amid concerns over climate change impacts.