Australia has declared the West Peron formation suitable for carbon dioxide storage, marking a regulatory milestone for the Inpex-led Bonaparte carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, which could permanently store up to 443 million tonnes of CO2 offshore northern Australia.
The declaration identifies West Peron as a geological formation beneath the seabed suitable for permanent CO2 storage and is the first of its kind in Australia for an offshore saline aquifer storage site, according to Inpex.
The Bonaparte CCS joint venture comprises operator Inpex Browse E&P with a 53% interest, TotalEnergies CCS Australia with 26% and Woodside Energy with 21%.
The proposed offshore storage site is located approximately 260 kilometers from Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.
Inpex plans to inject up to 443 million tonnes of CO2 into the West Peron formation over a period of up to 35 years, subject to further regulatory approvals and commercial agreements.
The project is expected to initially receive CO2 from the Ichthys LNG development, with the Ichthys joint venture anticipated to become its anchor customer.
According to Inpex, the Bonaparte CCS project could reduce CO2 emissions from Ichthys LNG by approximately 40%, while potentially providing storage capacity for other industrial facilities.
"This declaration is an important first step for the Bonaparte CCS Project and demonstrates the Australian Government's support for technologies that help reduce emissions," said Madeleine King, Australia's Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.
The declaration follows the project's designation as a Major Project by the Australian Government in 2025, the first offshore CCS development in the country to receive that status.
Pre-front-end engineering and design work began in April 2025, with the joint venture targeting first CO2 injection in the early 2030s.
The partners will continue technical, environmental, regulatory and commercial work required to advance the development.
The latest declaration establishes the technical viability of the proposed storage formation for CO2 injection and storage, but does not constitute final approval for the project's development or operation.
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