
A word from the CEO
2025 - A Pivotal Year for CCS
Dear Colleagues and Partners,
As we embark on another pivotal year for carbon capture and storage (CCS), I am delighted to share the latest developments in our sector. CO2CRC continues to lead the charge in ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of CCS research, technology, and workforce development.
With an election on the horizon, both major political parties acknowledge the necessity of CCS within Australia’s current policy settings. The Safeguard Mechanism legislation makes it clear: emissions reduction is not optional, and CCS is a key pillar in achieving these goals. CO2CRC stands ready to inform both sides of politics with our world-class research, ensuring that decisions are based on the best available science and engineering.
The recent visit of Senator Susan McDonald and the Hon. Dan Tehan MP to our Otway International Test Centre (OITC) underscores the growing political recognition of CCS. The discussions reinforced the importance of CO2CRC’s research and testing capabilities in shaping Australia’s energy and decarbonisation strategies. Our work at OITC provides real-world, scientifically validated results that support industry and policymakers in making sound, future-focused decisions.
Australia’s position as a global leader in CCS continues to strengthen. The recent $15 billion CCS agreement between Indonesia and Chevron highlights the immense potential for CCS across Southeast Asia. As the region accelerates its decarbonisation efforts, collaboration with Australia’s expert research community becomes increasingly critical. We are committed to sharing our expertise and ensuring our workforce is equipped to meet the growing demand for CCS skills.
A key step in fostering global CCS collaboration is our recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Community (UKCCSRC). This partnership will drive joint research initiatives, knowledge sharing, and technological advancements, ensuring CCS remains a viable, effective solution for emissions reduction worldwide.
The Moomba CCS project is proving that large-scale carbon sequestration can be achieved at a commercially viable cost. It was exciting to visit the site this week and see it in operation firsthand, witnessing the remarkable progress and the dedication of the team on the ground. Nowhere is the research value of CO2CRC clearer than in its contributions to Moomba CCS. Our expertise and technical capabilities, including support via our professional services subsidiary CO2Tech, have played a role in supporting the project’s success.
To sustain Australia’s CCS leadership, it must continue investing in a highly qualified workforce. The demand for CCS expertise is growing rapidly, and Australia is uniquely positioned to educate and train the next generation of professionals who will drive decarbonisation across industries. Developing this talent pipeline is essential not only for our domestic energy sector but also for supporting our neighbours and trade partners in Southeast Asia as they transition towards lower-carbon economies.
2025 presents a crucial opportunity for Australia to solidify its role as a CCS leader, particularly given the recent election in the USA and the upcoming elections in Australia and Canada. These elections will shape climate and energy policies that directly impact the trajectory of CCS development. The USA’s policy direction on emissions reduction and clean energy incentives will influence global investment flows, while Australia and Canada’s elections will determine the regulatory and financial frameworks that support large-scale CCS deployment. Ensuring that CCS remains a priority in these political landscapes is critical to achieving long-term emissions reduction targets and maintaining energy security.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement in this critical journey. Let’s make 2025 a landmark year for CCS and Australia’s net-zero future.
Dr Matthias Raab, CEO.
CO2CRC CEO visits Santo’s Moomba CCS Project
In January, CO2CRC Limited CEO, Dr Matthias Raab PhD, had the great pleasure of visiting the newly launched Santos Ltd CCS project in Moomba, a milestone that reaffirms Australia’s commitment to deploying world-class emissions reduction technology.
This is a significant achievement in the CCS journey as Moomba CCS is fully operational and Australia’s first large-scale onshore CCS project, storing CO2 in the same geological reservoirs that have held oil and gas in place for tens of millions of years.
Photo: CO2CRC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Matthias Raab, and Sanjay Goel, Project Director, Santos, at Santos’s Moomba CCS project.
Federal Shadow Minister for Resources Visits OITC
CO2CRC Limited had the privilege of hosting Senator Susan McDonald and local Federal representative Dan Tehan MP, at its Otway International Test Centre this month.
Their visit highlights how important carbon capture and storage technology is for Australia’s clean energy future. Having support from leaders like Senator McDonald and Dan Tehan reinforces the vital role CO2CRC plays in driving innovation made in Australia and delivering tested, real-world technologies to reduce emissions.
The Hon Dan Tehan Member for Wannon, CO2CRC CEO Dr Matthias Raab, and Senator Susan McDonald, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.
CO2CRC signs MoU with UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre to advance CCS research and technology.
We are proud to announce that CO2CRC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Community to drive advancements in CCS research and technology.
This partnership represents a significant step towards addressing the urgent global challenge of climate change. We aim to enhance collaborative research across the entire CCS value chain – capture, transport, storage, and long-term monitoring – while pursuing joint funding opportunities and sharing invaluable project data and insights.
Above: CO2CRC CEO, Dr Matthias Raab, with Dr Jen Roberts, Deputy Director of UKCCSRC.
Study Confirms CCS no Impact on Groundwater at OITC
Deakin University has been supporting CO2CRC’s environmental monitoring program since the start of our Stage 3 Experiment in 2020, continuing the legacy of high-quality, environmental monitoring of groundwater and Soil Gas at the Otway International Test Centre, which commenced in 2006 with our first demonstration, the Stage 1 CO2 Pilot Project. Using this unique and rich dataset, Deakin has examined the trends in groundwater quality over more than 15 years, specifically the applicability of the groundwater in the region for agricultural purposes. The paper discusses the impact of annual and/or seasonal variability and how this affects the usability of this precious resource for the landowners in the region. Importantly, the work done by Deakin, clearly and categorically demonstrates, that co-location of agriculture and a CCS site is possible.
The paper highlights that the operation of the OITC CCS deep underground (>1km) in depleted gas reservoirs and saline aquifers, has not impacted on the quality of the groundwater in the region and that the geosequestration of CO2 is both permanent and reliable with no material impact to the near surface environment.
Above: Image depicting the study sample point and the groundwater at the OITC.
CO2CRC Welcomes Commercial CCS Company 'Australian Carbon Vault' to OITC
In January, the team from Australian Carbon Vault (ACV) joined us at the OITC to discuss our most recent project, Stage 4, our cutting-edge research into CCS and all we had learned in the past 20 years of successful operations and 100,000 tonnes of stored CO2 at the site. They had the opportunity to view injection wellheads, monitoring equipment and our gas handling facilities. Being able to see the equipment that underpins successful CCS projects are critical to understanding the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead for any aspiring CCS operator.
This was our first meeting with ACV as we discussed their plans and the amazing potential for Carbon Sequestration (CCS) in the Arckaringa Basin in central SA. With both suitable geology providing significant storage potential and a willing state government with a supportive legislative and regulatory framework, the ACV project has all the indicators for success! Their interest in better understanding the potential for CO2 storage in coal seams, also has the potential to unlock additional, low cost storage opportunities, should the deposits prove viable.
We wish Australian Carbon Vault all the very best of success as they begin their journey in Carbon Sequestration!
Above: CO2CRC’ Senior Reservoir Engineer, David Tang, and Business Development Director, Mr Paul Barraclough, with the Australian Carbon Vault Team at CO2CRC’s Otway International Test Centre.
CO2CRC Otway International Test Centre Research Update
At CO2CRC’s Otway International Test Centre, storage of carbon dioxide into the 1500m deep saline Paaratte Formation has paused for now at 10,000 tonnes gas, to enable a high resolution 4D seismic survey to be undertaken by Curtin University during February. The survey will be partly a traditional ground based seismic survey using trucks, but will also use surface orbital vibrators to create a seismic signal and utilise vertically deployed, well based fibre as a receiver. The survey will be used to identify precisely the three-dimensional boundary of the 10,000 tonnes of stored carbon dioxide, which has been stored deep underground at this location since late December. The information provided by the survey will supplement data on geological strain obtained by novel fibre and from the exhaustive logging data that has been obtained under the research plan developed by Stanford University.
The objective of this current stage of research is to focus on geologically heterogeneous areas of the subsurface and to first simulate and then demonstrate the enhanced storage characteristics of this type of reservoir, with the goal of increasing their usage for carbon capture and storage. After the survey CO2CRC will be storing more carbon dioxide to test a new piece of equipment developed by Japan’s Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), which has been developed to further improve underground CO2 storage by promoting the movement of CO2 into tighter rocks, enhance residual trapping and accelerate the dissolution of carbon dioxide into the formation fluids.
CO2CRC will be holding an Open Day at the OITC in late March where interested members of the public are welcome to visit the OITC and learn more about our research and Carbon Capture and Storage.
Above: CO2CRC’s CEO, Dr Matthias Raab, with Senior Reservoir Engineer, David Bason, at the conclusion of logging activities for this stage of CO2CRC’s current project.
CO2CRC Training and Education
At CO2CRC, we believe that effective CCUS education and training is a vital element in shaping a sustainable, low-emission future. As such, we are dedicated to equipping a wide array of stakeholders, including industry experts, policymakers, investors, scientists, and the general public, with the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve their emission reduction targets. CO2CRC provides a range of general CCUS educational courses as well as technology specific and tailored CCUS training. Upcoming courses over the next few months include CCS Fundamentals. Contact Max Watson for more information.
OPEN NOW: Advanced CO2 Storage Course 11-13 March 2025
Advanced CO2 Storage Course
Melbourne & OITC
11-13 March 2025
Expand your understanding of the intricacies and challenges in CO2 storage and how to effectively develop and manage CO2 storage sites with the most comprehensive CO2 storage course we offer, including field experience at a working CO2 storage facility.
CO2CRC’s Advanced CO2 Storage Course will give you powerful insights and skills that can be applied instantly to CO2 storage site selection, development and operations.
Presented by CCS technical experts Dr Max Watson and Jai Kant Pandit.
What out attendees say:
“On behalf of Cooper Energy, I commend CO2CRC for their excellent CCUS course. It provided a comprehensive overview of the opportunities, complexities and challenges across all aspects the carbon capture, utilisation and storage sectors.” – James Clarke, Cooper Energy
Limited places available. Secure your spot today:
Contact Max Watson or read more information.
Follow CO2CRC today on LINKEDIN to keep up to date with the latest news on our ground-breaking demonstration and research projects.
Energy Transition News
31/01/2025 Lift curbs on carbon dioxide imports or risk our advantage, says Santos– The Australian. Australia must lift restrictions on allowing the importation of carbon dioxide or risk being beaten by global competitors
31/01/2025 Massive carbon capture plant opens in South Australia – Nine News. Energy giant Santos says it’s successfully reducing emissions by burying them beneath the ground following the opening of its carbon capture project in South Australia’s north.
31/01/2025 Shell Shifts Oilsands Focus, Doubles Down On CCS In Canada – Carbon Herald. Shell Canada has announced a strategic shift in its oilsands holdings, divesting its remaining interest in the Albian mines while increasing its investment in the Scotford upgrader and Quest CCS facility.
29/01/2025 Highlighting the solutions to improve carbon capture rates in CCUS – Yahoo Finance. Since the genesis of CCUS almost 50 years ago, carbon capture rates are now hovering at around 90-95% efficiency. The technology has become a central point of discussion within the global energy transition, as per the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 Scenario.
28/01/2025 National climate strategies show inequalities in global development of carbon dioxide geological storage – Nature. Carbon dioxide geological storage is critical for limiting global average temperature rise to below 1.5 °C. Here we examine the role of CGS in long-term national emission reduction strategies submitted to the UNFCCC under the Paris Agreement.
28/01/2025 SLB Capturi, Aker Solutions delivering carbon capture solution for Hafslund Celsio – Offshore Technology. The new waste to energy plant in Oslo is expected to grab 350,000 metric tonnes of carbon annually. The project is part of Longship, Norway’s full value-chain CCS project.
28/01/2025 Rising Toward a Cleaner Future: Pennsylvania’s CCS Ladder for Industrial Decarbonization– Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. Investigation of Pennsylvania’s decarbonization strategies, with details on the state’s top industry: steel.
28/01/2025 Carbon storage “mandate” could help CCS projects say researchers – Cosmos. A new report from Oxford Net Zero and Carbon Balance Initiative has presented a possible solution to a critical challenge facing the UK’s climate policy: how to develop carbon storage infrastructure while protecting public finances
28/01/2025 Sweden Awards Stockholm Exergi $1.8 Billion for Bio-energy Carbon Removal and Storage Facility– ESG News. Stockholm Exergi awarded SEK 20 billion over 15 years to fund Europe’s largest bio-CCS facility, enabling 800,000 tons of carbon dioxide removal annually.
27/01/2025 Why Japan’s power plants want to bury their emissions in the outback– The Sydney Morning Herald. Oil and gas giant Santos says the successful start-up of its carbon sequestration site in the SA desert has boosted its confidence the technology can work on a larger scale.
23/01/2025 Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners And Vestforbrænding To Partner On CCS- Carbon Herald Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, through its Energy Transition Fund , in partnership with Vestforbrænding, Denmark’s largest waste to energy company, has entered into an agreement to establish a joint venture to jointly develop, build, and operate a carbon capture facility in Glostrup, Denmark.
22/01/2025 Carbon Capture and Storage: Gaining ground, despite challenges – ING. Our top three predictions for CCS in 2025: expect solid infrastructure progress and growing demand, but policy support needs clearer guidance from the US and a firm commitment from Europe.
20/01/2025 Singapore sets out plan to meet 2030 climate targets; energy imports, carbon capture among key efforts – StraitsTimes. For the first time, Singapore has publicly set out how it plans to cut emissions to meet its 2030 climate targets, with energy efficiency, carbon capture technology and clean energy imports expected to be among the most effective measures.
19/01/2025 Woodside slammed for planning CCS scheme at gas megaproject – Upstream online. Move to slash greenhouse gas emissions at Australia’s Browse offshore project incurs the wrath of Greens and Greenpeace.
16/01/2025 South Korean consortium seeks equity in Pilot WA ammonia project– The Age A consortium of South Korean mega-energy firms led by Korea Southern Power Co is set to enter into an agreement with Pilot Energy to jointly develop the Mid West clean energy project in the Perth Basin to secure a supply of ammonia.
13/01/2025 Japan deepens green energy, CCS cooperation in Southeast Asia – reccessary Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba embarked on his first official overseas visit after taking office, choosing Malaysia and Indonesia for his trip.
13/01/2025 Chemical engineers devise efficient way to pull carbon directly from atmosphere– techxplore Until now, carbon capture has focused largely on removing greenhouse gases at their source, such as the emissions of power plants, refineries, concrete plants and other industries.
13/01/2025 UAE Rolls Out Hydrogen Strategy for Low-Carbon Future – Seneca The UAE is reinforcing its position as a global leader in low-carbon hydrogen production
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