Australia’s leading carbon capture and storage research organisation CO2CRC will increase its collaboration with Curtin University to continue development of next generation, higher resolution Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) monitoring technologies at the Otway International Test Centre in western Victoria.

CO2CRC Chief Executive Dr Matthias Raab said the collaboration continued the work of CO2CRC in pursuing technology development and innovation with a wide range of Australian and international partners to enable next generation solutions needed for sustainable emissions reduction.

“CO2CRC is keeping Australia at the forefront of scientific achievement,” Dr Raab said.

“Our collaborations with Japan, Korea, the US, UK and other countries enable this innovation and intellectual horsepower. Our innovation is ten years ahead, and we are providing the next generation of technologies to the next generation of carbon dioxide removal projects.”

“We have been Australia’s practitioners of CCS for over 20 years, and as the role for CCS becomes clearer this work is more needed than ever.”

The work with Curtin University leverages the seismic monitoring expertise and cutting-edge knowledge of geophysics researchers from the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences. This commercially relevant demonstration will be funded through a 3-year, $2.4 million collaboration agreement supported by Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA), as part of the overall $50 million project supported by partners including Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, BHP, and the Governments of Japan, Korea and Australia.

CO2CRC Project Leader, Dr. Hadi Nourollah, said CO2CRC the collaboration with Curtin University takes the industry’s understanding of reservoir performance and CCS project monitoring to another level of detail and sophistication.

“More progressive methods are being developed and tested to provide high-resolution, low-cost and low-footprint seismic data to safeguard the environment and ensure regulatory compliance” Dr Nourollah said.

Curtin Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Melinda Fitzgerald, said the continued partnership with CO2CRC was a prime example of the University making a real-world impact.

“Curtin undertakes research in areas which are critical for Australia and the world, both right now and in the future,” Professor Fitzgerald said.

“The Federal Government recently released its National Science and Research Priorities, which included protecting and restoring Australia’s environment — our relationship with CO2CRC highlights how we are leading the way with this crucial objective — to make tomorrow better.”

Dr Raab said CO2CRC stands out as one of the few non-government organisations investing millions of dollars in university researchers and students to uphold Australia’s leadership role in the global carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

“Australia should be proud of the rigour and veracity of the work that is being done to achieve meaningful outcomes in the national and international interest,” Dr Raab said.

With the International Energy Agency highlighting that global 2050 climate goals are unattainable without CCUS, and a slower than needed roll-out of renewables in most major economies, Dr Raab said the need to accelerate the delivering of new CCS projects is increasing.

Contact: Matthew Doman +61 421 888 858 or matthew.doman@crestviewstrategy.com