A word from the CEO
Rapid and robust rollout of CCS key to hitting climate targets
Amidst all the discussion of policies to combat climate change and maintain energy security it is sometimes hard to see where progress is being made. As the focus shifts from setting emissions reduction targets to meeting them, it is clear that no single measure will be enough to get the world to net zero.
The energy transition must be as much about decarbonizing existing energy production as it about replacing it. And that of course means continuing the advance of carbon capture and storage.
CCS is advancing faster than many realise. The Global CCS Institute’s Global Status of CCS Report, released late last year, shows a significant surge in CCS projects across the globe with 198 new facilities added to the project pipeline during 2023 – more than doubling since the 2022 report.
And work by the CO2CRC team highlights the potential for Australia to play a much bigger role.
Crunching those numbers shows the number of proposed CCS projects in Australia has risen to 17, up from five in 2020. Our team’s just-completed analysis has identified that five projects in advanced development, along with the sanctioned Moomba and already operational Gorgon, could deliver over 20% of the emissions reduction Australia needs to meet its near-term target of 43% below 2005 levels by 2030. See ‘CCS Projects in Australia – Geological Storage’ map below.
Interest in CCS extends beyond energy production, as evidenced by Mitsui E&P’s CO2 injection test at the Cygnus CCS Hub in Western Australia, showing its potential to support the decarbonisation of industrial facilities.
CCS is essential in enabling hard-to-abate sectors to meet the Australian Government’s Safeguard Mechanism on emissions reduction.
Mitsui has worked with Wesfarmers to advance the production and export of low-carbon ammonia, which will require large-scale CCS. Low carbon ammonia is critical for reducing emissions in agriculture production, ensuring food security, and offering a more cost-efficient means to transport hydrogen.
Of course, CCS is also essential to decarbonise fossil fuel production and use.
Despite some expectations, coal demand and use are growing, and the IEA sees global gas use growing steadily until 2050. Lower use in advanced economies is offset by significant expansion in emerging and developing economies.
With Australia’s role as a significant gas supply source, it is no surprise that – as the map below illustrates – the pipeline of credible CCS projects in Australia is growing. Many proposed offshore CCS projects are associated with LNG facilities in Western Australia. Onshore CCS projects associated with natural gas processing are also progressing, exemplified by the already-sanctioned Moomba CCS project in South Australia.
The CTSCo project in Queensland will reduce emissions on a coal-fired power plant.
If these projects can be approved efficiently and on time the nation is well on the way to meeting its agreed targets, at this same time enabling continued supply of natural gas to Asia – a key part of the region’s energy security equation.
CO2CRC proposed options to the Federal Government for streamlining regulation to eliminate artificial bottlenecks in the CCS project pipeline.
We are committed to continuing to play a constructive role in this space, as we are in our ongoing role working with our members to drive technological innovation.
Both are essential to supporting a robust energy transition.
Dr Matthias Raab, CEO.
The ‘CCS Projects in Australia – Geological Storage’ map below is © CO2CRC Limited. Reuse with accreditation to CO2CRC Limited. Reproduce with permission by contacting info@co2crc.com.au.
Addressing Crucial Role of CCS in Achieving Net Zero
CO2CRC had a solid presence at the 2024 AOG Conference in Perth, held between March 13 and 15, 2024. The event had a strong and very varied technical program and provided a wide range of networking opportunities.
CO2CRC had two formal spots within the program. Our chief scientist, Geoff O’Brien, participated in a five person panel entitled: “CCS: It Works, It’s Scalable – And There Is No Zet Zero Without It”; Geoff ‘s co-participants on the panel were David Fallon (Chevron), Graham Gillies (Baker Hughes), Richard Hinkley (Santos) and Belladonna Maulianda (Indonesia CCS Center). The panel had an engaged audience and a wide range of issues were explored.
On the 14th, Geoff also contributed to a technical session entitled: “Offshore Oil and Gas Infrastructure Reuse Opportunities and Challenges”, where he discussed the regulatory intricacies around the conversion of petroleum production licences to GHG injection licences. Other presenters in Geoff’s session were Tom Barratt (NOPSEMA, who provided a focus on the suitability of petroleum infrastructure in the CCS reuse case) and Stephen Stokes (Wood plc, who discussed a wide range of challenges regarding infrastructure and CO2 transportation). Overall, the session provided a measured and realistic assessment of the current state of play for CCS infrastructure reuse.
Dr Geoffery O’Brien CO2CRC Chief Scientist, addressing the AOG Energy Conference in Perth in March.
CO2CRC Reservoir Engineer, Genna Petho (above), will be presenting at the upcoming tNavigator Annual Technology Summit in Perth (April 11) and Brisbane (April 16).
Genna’s presentation will cover how saline formations have the largest identified potential for permanent CO₂ storage [1] and are fast becoming a vital option for CO₂ mitigation at a large scale. A crucial aspect of CO₂ storage in saline formations involves understanding the role of the various identified trapping mechanisms – geological, residual, solution, and mineralisation. In the process of modelling these various mechanisms throughout the project lifecycle, it’s the dissolution behaviour of CO₂, which directly impacts long term storage efficiency and within the timeframes considered, site liability and operator abandonment. This presentation provides a review of the current state of modelling approaches for CO₂ dissolution, and highlights various factors of influence such as temperature, pressure, and salinity. Additionally, it discusses the pitialls to look out for when predicting dissolution rates, and potential advancements that can be made in this space for streamlined simulation processes.
Register to attend here: https://techsummit.rfdyn.com/
[1] Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI). (2022). CO₂ Storage Resource Catalogue – Cycle 3 Report. Available at:
https://www.ogci.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CSRC_Cycle_3_Main_Report_Final.pdf
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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:
Contact Max Watson for more information on 0420 209 277.
CCUS Principals, Practices and Applications Course May 7-9 2024 Registrations closing soon.
For a deeper dive into the emerging industry of CCUS, join us for our comprehensive training course, “CCUS Principles, Practices, and Applications.” Developed by CO2CRC, Australia’s leading research organisation in CCUS, this course is designed to equip participants with a relevant, practical understanding of the technical principles and engineering solutions applicable to CCUS. Led by Australia’s foremost experts in CCUS, this intermediate course will provide invaluable insights into CCUS, ensuring participants leave with a robust grasp of its application across a range of industries.
Our 3-day CCUS Principles, Practices, and Applications Course will be held in Melbourne from May 7th to 9th 2024.
Energy Transition News
22/03/2024 Carbon-negative decking could lock up CO2 equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road– Chemistry World. One of the first composite materials whose production cuts carbon dioxide emissions has been created by researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US.
22/03/2024 UK CCS cluster step closer to execution phase with approval for CO2 pipeline– Offshore energy. The UK Government has granted a development consent order for a newbuild CO2 pipeline to transport CO2 from capture plants across the North West of England and North Wales to permanent storage in Eni’s depleted natural gas reservoirs, in Liverpool Bay.
19/03/2024 How 2 companies are taking different approaches to carbon capture as climate reports show rising temperature – CBS News An inside look at two companies taking different approaches to process.
19/03/2024 Chevron and JX sign MOU for collaboration on development of CCS value chain – Chevron The objective of the MOU is to evaluate the feasibility of the CCS value chain, including capture of CO2 emitted from industries located in Japan.
19/03/2024 South Korea to provide $313 bln in loans to finance carbon offset projects – Reuters South Korea will provide 420 trillion won ($313.4 billion) in policy loans for projects to help reduce carbon emissions.
19/03/2023 DMX Carbon Capture Process At Dunkirk Steel Plant Exceeds Expectations, Axens Says – Carbon Herald. The industrial pilot project focusing on capturing carbon dioxide from blast furnace gases at ArcelorMittal’s steel plant in Dunkirk, northern France, has surpassed expectations.
19/03/2024 Queensland farming lobby launches legal challenge against Great Artesian Basin carbon capture trial – The Guardian AgForce is seeking a judicial review of a 2022 decision that found the project did not need to be assessed under federal laws.
15/03/2024 New York City is becoming an unlikely carbon capture hub – Chemical & Engineering News. Down in the subbasement of a luxury apartment building in Manhattan, New York residents gave up five precious parking spaces to make room for a new idea: equipment that will strip carbon dioxide out of the flue gas from the building’s twin 350-horsepower boilers, which crank out about 3.4 MW of power each.
05/03/2024 Woodside and carbon offset body go their separate ways– AFR. Gas giant Woodside Energy declined to renew its membership of the leading domestic carbon markets industry group last year after it proposed tightening its membership rules to restrict participation for companies expanding their emissions.
05/03/2024 Valero joins Summit’s carbon capture project – Reuters U.S. refiner Valero Energy Corp b is joining Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon-capture and storage project.
04/03/2023 Cost of direct air carbon capture to remain higher than hoped– Techxplore. Emissions targets will be hard to achieve unless ways can be found to reduce the cost of direct air capture technologies.
04/03/2023 The North Sea could become a ‘central storage camp’ for carbon waste. Not everyone likes the idea – CNBC. Criticism of Norway’s Plans to use the North Sea for CCS Longship project
03/03/2023 Turkish Startup AVB Biotechnology Revolutionizes Carbon Capture with ‘Dr. Oxygen’, Attracting Elon Musk’s Attention– BNN AVB Biotechnology, a pioneering Turkish firm, has unveiled ‘Dr. Oxygen’, a groundbreaking carbon capture technology that leverages the Molecular Magnetization Technique to effectively combat climate change.
01/03/2024 ExxonMobil, Shell to work with Singapore on carbon capture and storage project – Reuters Global energy majors Exxon Mobil and Shell will work with Singapore to develop a cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, both companies said on Friday.
01/03/2024 Supermarket shelves depleted of soda water and soft drink amid low supply of carbon dioxide – ABC. Supermarket shelves have been left depleted of soft drink supplies because of a shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2). Major supplier BOC said in a statement it was experiencing a “short-term CO2 supply shortage on the east coast of Australia”.
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