CarbonNet

CarbonNet
Name	CarbonNet
Type	Carbon capture and storage project
Country	Australia
Location	Victoria
Status	Proposed
Operator	Victorian Government

CarbonNet

CarbonNet is a proposed Australian carbon capture and storage project conceived to assess offshore sequestration options for greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources in Victoria, with ties to national and international climate policy initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and collaborations involving entities like CSIRO, Chevron Corporation, and state agencies. The project aims to integrate capture technologies, pipeline transport, and offshore geological storage in the Otway Basin region, drawing attention from proponents including the Victorian Government and critics across environmental organizations such as the Australian Conservation Foundation and research bodies like the International Energy Agency.

Overview

CarbonNet was designed to explore large-scale carbon dioxide capture from facilities in Gippsland, transport via pipeline corridors to a coastal hub, and injection into deep saline formations or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs beneath the Bass Strait, with technical input from Monash University, University of Melbourne, and industry partners including Shell plc and ExxonMobil. The initiative intersects with Australian policies including the Emissions Reduction Fund and interacts with regulatory regimes administered by bodies such as the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The project’s concept has been compared to international CCS deployments like the Sleipner gas field, Snovit, and the Boundary Dam Power Station demonstrations.

History and Development

Origins trace to feasibility studies commissioned by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and early research collaborations with CSIRO in the mid-2000s, influenced by global negotiations at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and technologies developed in the North Sea. Key milestones include basin characterization studies involving the Geoscience Australia dataset, stakeholder consultations with the Latrobe Valley Authority and proposals for industrial hubs near Longford, Victoria and Hastings, Victoria. Political shifts in the Parliament of Victoria and funding decisions by agencies such as Australian Renewable Energy Agency and private investors affected project timelines, echoing challenges faced by projects like Peterhead CCS and Kemper Project.

Technology and Infrastructure

The proposed technology suite encompassed post-combustion capture units suited to gas-fired and coal-fired plants similar to installations at Boundary Dam and research pilots at Hazelwood Power Station, high-pressure pipeline design informed by standards from the Australian Pipeline and Gas Association, and subsea injection methods analogous to operations at the Sleipner gas field and Prelude FLNG. Monitoring and verification strategies planned to employ techniques from seismic tomography campaigns used in the Otway Carbon Capture Project and subsurface modeling tools utilized by Schlumberger and BHP. Safety and leak detection frameworks referenced protocols from the International Organization for Standardization and guidance by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.

Proposed Sites and Geology

Site evaluations emphasized offshore structures in the Gippsland Basin and adjacent Otway Basin with potential storage in porous sandstones capped by shale sequences similar to reservoirs exploited by Esso Australia and Woodside Energy. Geological assessments used data from the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator and seismic surveys comparable to those supporting development of the Viva Gas and Kipper fields, considering faulting, seal integrity, and reservoir capacity metrics developed by consultants such as Golder Associates and AECOM. Community concerns arose in localities including Bass Coast Shire and South Gippsland Shire where fishing interests around Powlett River and shipping routes to Melbourne intersected with proposed offshore infrastructure.

Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment

Environmental analyses considered potential impacts on marine habitats including species studied by the Australian Institute of Marine Science and migratory corridors protected under the Convention on Migratory Species, addressing risks such as induced seismicity referenced in literature from the United States Geological Survey and leakage scenarios modeled for projects like Sleipner. Assessment plans included baseline monitoring aligned with frameworks from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and mitigation measures coordinated with agencies such as the Environment Protection Authority Victoria and international guidance from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Stakeholder groups including the Australian Marine Conservation Society and local councils raised concerns about long-term liability and remediation funding comparable to debates surrounding the Gorgon gas project.

Regulatory Framework and Stakeholder Engagement

Regulatory oversight would span Commonwealth instruments including the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and state planning regimes administered by the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, requiring coordination with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority and consultation protocols practiced by entities like the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council. Engagement strategies involved traditional owner groups such as the Gunaikurnai and Boonwurrung peoples, local governments including Bass Coast Shire Council, industry stakeholders like EnergyAustralia, and environmental NGOs such as the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of the Earth Australia.

Funding and Project Status

Funding pathways explored combinations of public investment from the Victorian Government and federal mechanisms like the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, alongside private capital from energy firms and potential participation by international financiers including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. As of recent milestones, development progressed through study phases and stakeholder consultation but faced postponements and re-scoping influenced by shifts in energy markets, policy priorities in the Parliament of Australia, and lessons from international CCS projects such as Sleipner and Boundary Dam. The project remains in a planning and investigative phase pending final investment decisions by state and private partners.

Category:Energy projects in Victoria (Australia) Category:Carbon capture and storage