Appea backs Western Australia CCUS, CCS study

Australia’s peak oil and gas body Appea has backed a new study on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Western Australia (WA), it said on March 4.

“A new study investigating opportunities in Western Australia for CCUS and CCS is a positive step in finding pathways to decarbonise the economy,” Appea said.

The study has been commissioned by the Western Australian LNG Jobs Taskforce, supported by Appea members BP, Chevron, Eni, Santos, Shell, and Woodside.

Appea WA director Claire Wilkinson said the research would provide critical intelligence on how best to deploy CCUS and CCS to decarbonise not just the state’s gas industry but many other sectors as well.

“The oil and gas industry is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with several companies targeting even earlier timeframes,” Wilkinson said.

“CCUS and CCS have key roles in lowering the carbon intensity of gas production and in supporting the development of a blue hydrogen industry here in WA, a key enabler to a viable hydrogen industry,” she said.

The study will be conducted by the CSIRO and the Global Carbon Capture & Storage Institute and is expected to be completed in the second half of this year.