Interests in joint operations

12 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Investments accounted for using equity method [abstract]

32 Interests in joint operations

ignificant joint operations of the Group are those with the most significant contributions to the Group’s net profit or net assets. The Group’s interest in the joint operations results are listed in the table below. For a complete list of the Group’s investments in joint operations, refer to Exhibit 8.1 - List of Subsidiaries.

Group’s interest

Significant joint operations

Country of operation

Principal activity

2021

2020
%

Atlantis

Hydrocarbons production

Bass Strait

Australia

Hydrocarbons production

Macedon

(1)

Australia

Hydrocarbons production

71.43

Mad Dog

Hydrocarbons production

23.9

North West Shelf

Australia

Hydrocarbons production

12.5–16.67

Pyrenees

(1)

Australia

Hydrocarbons production

40–71.43

ROD Integrated Development

(2)

Algeria

Hydrocarbons production

28.85

29.50

Shenzi

(3)

Hydrocarbons production

Trinidad/Tobago

(1)(4)

Trinidad and Tobago

Hydrocarbons production

45–68.46

Mt Goldsworthy

(5)

Australia

Iron ore mining

Mt Newman

(5)

Australia

Iron ore mining

Yandi

(5)

Australia

Iron ore mining

Central Queensland Coal Associates

Australia

Coal mining

(1)	While the Group may hold a greater than 50 per cent interest in these joint operations, all the participants in these joint operations approve the operating and capital budgets and therefore the Group has joint control over the relevant activities of these arrangements.

(2)	Group interest reflects the working interest and may vary year-on-year based on the Group’s effective interest in producing wells.

(3)

Increase in Group interest reflects the acquisition of an additional 28 per cent working interest in Shenzi. The transaction was completed on 6 November 2020 for a purchase price of US$480 million after customary post-closing adjustments. Shenzi continues to be accounted for as a joint operation because BHP continues to have joint decision-making rights with the other joint venture partner (Repsol). The assets and liabilities related to the acquired interests have been accounted for in line with the principles of IFRS 3/AASB 3 ‘Business Combinations’ with no remeasurement of the Group’s previous interest. The acquisition resulted in increases to property plant and equipment of US$642 million, inventory of US$17 million and closure and rehabilitation liabilities of US$179 million. Fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities approximate the consideration paid and therefore no goodwill or bargain purchase gain has been recognised for the acquisition. 

(4)	Trinidad/Tobago joint operations include Greater Angostura and Ruby.

(5)	These contractual arrangements are controlled by the Group and do not meet the definition of joint operations. However, as they are formed by contractual arrangement and are not entities, the Group recognises its share of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses arising from these arrangements.

Assets held in joint operations subject to significant restrictions are as follows:


	Group’s share
	2021		2020
	US$M		US$M
Current assets		2,260		2,059
Non-current assets		38,725		37,193

Total assets (1)		40,985		39,252

(1)

While the Group is unrestricted in its ability to sell a share of its interest in these joint operations, it does not have the right to sell individual assets that are used in these joint operations without the unanimous consent of the other participants. The assets in these joint operations are also restricted to the extent that they are only available to be used by the joint operation itself and not by other operations of the Group. 