Carbon developer InCapture and fertiliser manufacturer Yara Pilbara Fertilisers have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assess the viability of a large-scale offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Under the agreement, the two companies will evaluate technical, regulatory, and commercial framework pathways for shared infrastructure aimed at providing industrial emitters across the region with a direct route to deep-water carbon storage.
The proposal links Yara, which operates one of the world’s largest industrial ammonia plants on the Burrup Peninsula, with InCapture, the operator of offshore greenhouse gas assessment permit G-15-AP.
Positioned off the Pilbara coastline, the G-15-AP permit focuses on permanently trapping carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers.
Unlike traditional CCS models, the initiative operates independently of existing oil and gas assets, avoiding reliance on repurposed or decommissioned hydrocarbon infrastructure.
“The Pilbara is one of Australia’s most important industrial regions,” said InCapture Managing Director Julia Davies, noting that maintaining long-term export competitiveness requires practical, scalable solutions to trim emissions without scaling back regional manufacturing.
The collaboration has the potential to support emissions reduction across some of Australia’s most important industrial and export sectors while helping maintain the Pilbara’s long-term competitiveness as one of the world’s leading resources and industrial regions.
While Yara is currently progressing a renewable hydrogen pilot facility on its Burrup site, Yara Pilbara COO Laurent Trost stated that large-scale CCS presents the most immediate opportunity to rapidly drive down operational carbon output.
Technical evaluations of the offshore permit are being led by InCapture alongside joint venture partner SK earthon Australia, supported by global service contractors Halliburton and Wood.
The joint venture is working toward submitting its Declaration of Identified Storage Formation (DoSF) by the fourth quarter of 2026, a key milestone within the Australian regulatory framework required before commercial injection permits can be granted.