The Australian government has recognised the West Peron formation as a greenhouse gas storage for the proposed Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project.
The declaration recognises the deep seabed geological formation within Western Australia’s Bonaparte Basin as suitable for the safe, permanent underground storage of carbon dioxide.
Operated by energy giant INPEX, the Bonaparte CCS Project proposes to store up to 443 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over an injection timeframe of up to 35 years.
Pending final regulatory approvals, the facility will initially capture emissions from the Ichthys LNG project, with capacity to support multiple hard-to-abate industrial facilities across the region.
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King highlighted the project’s value in helping achieve national decarbonisation targets while driving regional economic development.
“This declaration is an important first step for the Bonaparte CCS Project and demonstrates the Australian government’s support for technologies that help reduce emissions,” King said.
“Carbon capture and storage will play an important role in reducing emissions from hard-to-abate industries, supporting Australia’s transition to net zero.”
The project has the potential to establish the Bonaparte Basin as a major long-term carbon storage hub supporting regional jobs, investment and economic growth.
Industry body Australian Energy Producers welcomed the decision, saying the project positions Australia to build on established domestic initiatives, including Chevron’s Gorgon project and Santos’ Moomba CCS facility.
Australian Energy Producers CEO Samantha McCulloch said the federal announcement is vital to unlocking Australia’s geological storage potential.
“CCS is a proven technology that will play a critical role in reducing emissions while supporting Australian industry, jobs and economic growth,” McCulloch said.
“Projects like Bonaparte will build on this progress, helping Australia leverage its world-class geological storage resources and industry expertise.”