Woodside, Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, is ceasing its operations in Myanmar, reasoning that development is out of the question due to human rights abuses committed by the junta. Almost a year into the military coup that has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,500 civilians, global oil companies Total and Chevron announced on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, respectively, that they would pull out from Myanmar for human rights reasons. Meanwhile, Shell, another global giant, and Woodside’s partner, abandoned its exploration licences in the country last year. The first ultra-deep-water oil rig in the Bay of Bengal offshore Myanmar would have marked the latest joint venture for Woodside. However, this prospect will not come to pass anymore. “Given the ongoing situation in Myanmar we can no longer contemplate Woodside’s participation in the development of the A-6 gas resources, nor other future activities in-country,” Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill …