I really thought NSE gave away too much to COP in the original...

I really thought NSE gave away too much to COP in the original farmout (75% for 109 million AUD as I recall)...plus NSE got all the potential financial downside with being responsible for cost blowouts. BRU managed a better deal overall with Mitsubishi imho.
Being a minnow in this game with the big boys you really need to be a commercially savvy, switched on operator. Sam's had the benefit of the doubt, but at the moment you can't say it is only bad luck the NSE is having.