Celebrating 100,000 tonnes of stored CO2 since 2008

Celebrating a milestone

On the 12th December 2024, CO2CRC successfully stored its 100,000th tonne of carbon dioxide (CO₂) underground at the Otway International Test Centre (OITC).

Our world-record-breaking achievements and cutting-edge technologies in monitoring have enabled us to establish the highest degree of confidence in safeguarding the environment, ensuring that CO₂ remains securely stored underground. Our monitoring systems provide high-integrity accountability, vital for the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS), which the International Energy Agency has said is critical to achieving global climate targets.

To put our achievement into perspective, the 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ we have stored underground is equivalent to the annual emissions from approximately 22,000 passenger vehicles. This highlights the substantial impact of our work, not just locally but globally, as we collaborate with discipline leaders in Australia and overseas, and discuss the future of carbon capture and the vital role it plays in addressing climate change.

Our research, peer-reviewed by some of the finest scientists in the world, has broader implications for CCS technology. The data we have collected over the past 16 years is widely shared within the CCS community, contributing to advancements in geological formations similar to those in our region.

 

The Hon. Dan Tehan with CO2CRC CEO, Dr Matthias Raab.
Above: The Hon. Dan Tehan celebrates with CO2CRC CEO, Dr Matthias Raab.

Professor Peter Cook

Peter was CO2CRC’s Chief Executive Officer from its inception until 2011.

Peter is one of Australia’s foremost scientists and technology leaders in the areas of energy, greenhouse technology and sustainability.

He is a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, a company director, author, consultant and senior advisor to organisations and governments worldwide.

His work on CCS with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), alongside Kelly Thambimuthu, made both contributors to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC, and prior to that in 2005, the adoption of CCS as a climate change mitigation technology under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Peter was CO2CRC’s chief executive from its inception until 2011.

Celebratory photo gallery

On the 12th December, 2024, government officials, industry and academic leaders, esteemed guests and VIPs, celebrated the 100,000th tonne of carbon dioxide being stored at the Otway International Test Centre, and toasted to the success with sparkling wine (albeit, non-alcoholic!).

History of research at the Otway International Test Centre

stage 1

Otway Stage 1: APR 2008 - SEP 2009

Stage 1 was Australia’s first demonstration of deep geological storage or geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2), the most common greenhouse gas. The project provided technical information on geosequestration processes, technologies and monitoring and verification regimes that helped inform public policy and industry decision-makers while also providing assurance to the community. 

CO2 injection summary: The CO2 rich gas from Buttress-1 was injected via CRC-1 into the Naylor structure (depleted gas reservoir). Injection commenced on 18th March 2008 and 65,445 tonnes of gas was injected until 30th August 2009.

Stage 3 1

Otway Stage 3: JUL 2019 - APR 2021

The Otway Stage 3 Project was conceived in 2012 with the primary objective to develop a monitoring and validation capability that was cost-effective, high resolution, on-demand and non-invasive.

(July 2019-April 2021):  Four new water wells (CRC-4, 5, 6 and 7) were drilled and the construction of the surface support facilities was completed. The objective of this project is to demonstrate new monitoring technologies that substantially reduce the cost of M&V for the geo-sequestration of CO2 in saline aquifers.

CO2 injection summary: 15,050 tonnes of Buttress-1 gas was injected into the CRC-3 water well.

More information…

Stage2b

Otway Stage 2: 2009 - 2019

Stage 2 project involved the drilling of a second injection well (CRC-2) approximately 200m to the north of CRC-1 and the installation of a gathering line extension from CRC-1 to CRC-2, and surface and subsurface facilities at CRC-2. Formation Characterisation Test had been successfully concluded.

CO2 injection summary: pure CO2 from a nearby BOC facility was injected into CRC-2 well for a short residual gas injection experiment.

A total of 182.3 tonnes pure CO2 was injected into CRC-2 and 75 tonnes of Buttress-1 gas was used for water lift operations in CRC-2. [More information released soon.]

Stage 4.2

Otway Stage 4: MAR 2023 - JUN 2024

Otway Shallow Fault Project (Mar 2023–Apr 2024): In March 2023, two new shallow bores (~100-120 m vertical depth) were drilled: “Brumbys-3” (Industrial bore) and “Brumbys-4” (Observation bore). Subsequently, in April 2024, the project completed a controlled slow release of CO2 via the Brumbys-3 well, with targeted geophysical monitoring conducted pre-, during, and post-injection. The project aims to examine how faults impact CO2 storage and demonstrate cost-effective monitoring techniques.

CO2 injection summary: 16 tonnes of food-grade CO2 (supplied by BOC) was injected into the Brumbys-3 shallow bore.

Stage 4 – Infrastructure Project (Dec-June 2024): In December 2023, one new monitoring well, CRC-8 with a depth of 1,680m, was successfully drilled.  Recently in June 2024, the existing CRC-3 injection well was recompleted for the upcoming GFV injection operation.

Contact us

Level 3, 289 Wellington Parade South, East Melbourne, VIC 3002 Australia 

+61 3 8595 9600

info@co2crc.com.au

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