Stanwell’s ZeroGen project proposed for Central Queensland will provide an opportunity to demonstrate geosequestration as a key greenhouse gas mitigation technology, according to the Chief Executive of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC), Dr Peter Cook.
"The demonstration of this technology needs to go ahead as quickly as possible if we are to address potential climate change," Dr Cook said.
"Geosequestration has the capacity to enable deep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. I believe that CO2 geosequestration will start to be widely applied within 10 years.
"Geological storage technology is available now and is being applied on a commercial scale at Sleipner, Norway; for example, where one million tonnes of CO2 is injected each year; and at Weyburn, Canada; where two million tonnes of CO2 is injected annually as part of an enhanced oil recovery process.
Demonstration projects such as ZeroGen and the CO2CRC Otway Basin project are crucial in the development of technologies that will underpin a future with low emissions power generation.
"The proposed ZeroGen and Otway projects aim to demonstrate how geosequestration technologies can operate in Australia safely and securely.
"CO2 geosequestration uses safe, proven technology that the oil and gas industry has used for the past 50 years.
"The lessons learned from these two projects will help industry make informed investment and operating decisions in relation to the development and deployment of geosequestration technologies and demonstrate to the community through extensive monitoring that geosequestration is safe and effective.
"Reducing greenhouse gases requires a portfolio of responses including energy efficiency; using less carbon-intensive fuels; enhancing natural carbon sinks (vegetation); and harnessing renewable energy from the wind, sun and tides,” Dr Cook said.
The CO2CRC collaborates with leading international and national carbon capture and storage experts to conduct world-class research into CO2 geosequestration. Research organisations involved in CO2CRC include the Universities of NSW, Melbourne, Monash Adelaide and Curtin, CSIRO and Geoscience Australia. Our industry partners are BP, Shell, Rio Tinto, Xstrata, Stanwell, ACARP, Woodside, ChevronTexaco, Schlumberger, BHP Billiton and NZ Resource Consortium.
Further information: Dr Peter Cook, 0419 490 044. Carmel Anderson 0418 461 250. www.co2crc.com.au