Australia designates seabed site for Japanese carbon storage project

Australia has designated a seabed storage site near its northern coast where the Japanese energy company Inpex plans to store massive amounts of carbon pollution. The project aims to inject carbon dioxide into a deep saline aquifer known as West Peron, located 260 kilometers (162 miles) offshore from Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory.

Project Details and Scale

According to Inpex, the site has the capacity to permanently store up to 443 million metric tons (488 million tons) of CO2 over a period of 35 years. Inpex stated that the primary customer for the site would be the nearby Ichthys liquefied natural gas facility, which is majority-owned by Inpex and exports a majority of its gas to Japan. Other companies could potentially store CO2 at the site in the future.

Differing Perspectives on CCS

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a three-step process that captures, transports, and stores CO2. The technology has become a subject of debate among scientists and policymakers:

• Proponents: Australian Resources Minister Madeleine King said the designation is an important step and "Carbon capture and storage will play an important role in reducing emissions from hard-to-abate industries, supporting Australia’s transition to net zero."
• Critics: Environmentalists express concern regarding the impact on marine, coastal, and terrestrial ecosystems. Chelsea Deng, a campaigner at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, stated that construction involves "dredging, drilling, piling into the ocean," which causes "sediment disturbance," "water quality pollution through the chemical discharge," and "underwater noise."
• International Context: While the International Energy Agency considers CCS a tool for curbing climate change, its net-zero emissions scenario forecasts it will contribute less than 5% of emission reductions by 2050.

Japan's Climate Strategy

Japan has set goals to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2035 and by 73% by 2040 from 2013 levels. According to a 2025 briefing by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, CCS is considered "indispensable" for achieving a stable energy supply and decarbonization in sectors where transitioning to alternatives like hydrogen or electrification is challenging.

Why it matters

Inpex is currently conducting environmental impact assessments and must obtain further government licenses before a final decision is made and CO2 injection begins.

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Sources

• apnews.com: Australia designates seabed site to store carbon pollution | AP News
• mdjonline.com: Australia approves seabed site where a Japanese company will store carbon pollution | National News | mdjonline.com

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.