History
Origin grew from a gas and power explorer into a major energy retailer and LNG partner, survived a rejected takeover, and by August 2026 reported a $1,574m profit.
2006-2008: Gas projects, Sun Retail and the BG bid
In 2006 Origin was building gas supply and generation. BassGas started selling gas in mid-May after delays and a cost rise from $450m to about $750m. The Kupe project in New Zealand got its go-ahead at NZ$980m. A planned merger with Contact Energy was ended in June after Origin saw too little shareholder support, leaving it with its 51.4% Contact stake.
Retail was the big step. In November 2006 Origin agreed to buy Sun Retail from the Queensland Government for $1,202m, funded by a $400m placement at $7.10 and a share purchase plan that raised $83m. The purchase completed in February 2007. Origin rejected an AGL merger approach that month and sold its Networks business to APA for $556.5m.
In 2008 BG Group offered $14.70, then $15.50, in cash. Origin's board rejected both, pointing to a 121% jump in coal seam gas (CSG) reserves. It chose ConocoPhillips instead as 50% partner in a CSG-to-LNG venture, Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG). BG's offer lapsed on 26 September 2008. The deal completed on 30 October with US$5bn (A$6.9bn) received. Origin paid an extra 25c dividend, started a buy-back of up to $1.275bn and had no net debt.
2009-2012: Building APLNG and buying NSW
Origin spent heavily on projects. Kupe delivered first gas in December 2009. Origin bought ATP 788P for $660m and lifted its Otway stake to 67.23%. Much overseas and geothermal exploration disappointed: dry wells in Vietnam, Laos and New Zealand, and setbacks at the Geodynamics geothermal project.
In March 2011 Origin completed a $3.25bn purchase of NSW retail businesses and Eraring GenTrader rights, taking it to 4.6 million customer accounts. A fully underwritten 1-for-5 offer at $13.00 raised about $2.3bn. It also issued hybrid securities and notes.
APLNG took final investment decision in July 2011. Sinopec bought 15% and then another 10%, so Origin's stake fell to 37.5% by July 2012. In Kenya, Mbawa 1 found about 52 net metres of gas pay in September 2012, with Origin holding 20%.
2013-2015: Funding the build, then an equity raise
APLNG's cost rose 7% to $24.7bn. Origin raised funds through bank loans, euro and US dollar notes, and forward sales of oil. It bought Eraring Energy for a net $50m in 2013. In 2014 it paid Karoon US$600m for Browse Basin permits, replacing a planned equity raise with a €1bn hybrid.
The oil price fall then hit. S&P cut Origin's rating to BBB-, and in August 2015 Origin sold its 53.09% of Contact for about NZ$1.8bn. On 30 September it launched a $2.5bn 4-for-7 entitlement offer at $4.00, with a dividend cut and asset sales, and it exited geothermal and international exploration. The raising completed on 28 October. The share count went from the low millions in the feed to about 1.75 billion by 2015, but the feed's earlier figures are unreliable, so no change is narrated.
2016-2019: Debt reduction
APLNG exported its first cargo on 9 January 2016. Origin sold assets including Mortlake Pipeline ($245m), Darling Downs Pipeline Network ($392m) and Stockyard Hill. It ran up large impairments: $1.9bn in the half to December 2016 and $3.1bn for FY17. Frank Calabria succeeded Grant King as CEO in October 2016.
The conventional upstream float was replaced by a $1,585m sale of Lattice Energy to Beach, completed on 31 January 2018. Adjusted net debt fell to just under $6.5bn by FY18, meeting the target. Dividends restarted in February 2019 and FY19 profit reached $1,211m.
2020-2022: Octopus and a smaller APLNG stake
In May 2020 Origin took 20% of Octopus Energy and a licence to its Kraken platform. COVID-19, price reregulation and gas costs weighed on Energy Markets. Large non-cash charges followed: FY21 produced a $2,291m statutory loss.
Origin sold 10% of APLNG to ConocoPhillips for $2bn net in February 2022, leaving it at 27.5%. It announced a $250m buy-back and a plan to exit its other exploration permits. It sold Beetaloo to Tamboran for $60m plus a royalty. FY22 adjusted net debt was $2,838m.
2022-2026: A failed takeover and the present
In November 2022 Brookfield and EIG's MidOcean proposed $9.00 a share. A binding deal followed in March 2023, and the offer was later lifted to about $9.53. On 4 December 2023 shareholders voted it down: 68.92% in favour against 75% needed. Origin stayed listed.
It then raised its Octopus stake to 23%, bought the Yanco Delta wind project, and agreed to run Eraring longer, now until 30 April 2029. Profit stayed strong, with FY24 underlying profit of $1,183m.
As of 13 August 2026, FY26 statutory profit was $1,574m and underlying profit $1,159m, with a 30c final dividend. APLNG paid $911m. Kraken separated from Octopus after a US$1bn raise. About 900,000 customers were affected by a data incident, and investigations were continuing.
Written from the 470 story beats below (2006 to 13 Aug 2026), which come from the company's own announcements and filings.