Carbon+Intel: Santos & Darwin LNG announce CCS project

Santos and Darwin LNG has announced entry into the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase for the proposed Bayu-Undan CCS project. 

The Bayu-Undan CCS project could potentially safely and permanently store up to 10 MMtpy of CO2, equivalent to about 1.5% of Australia’s carbon emissions each year. 

The project has the potential to be the largest CCS project in the world and one of the many that will be critical to help the world meet its climate goals. The IEA Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050 envisages CCUS growing to 7.6 Btpy of CO2 by 2050 from around 40 MMtpy today. 

The Bayu-Undan FEED work will include engineering and design for additional CO2 processing capacity at Darwin LNG plus repurposing of the Bayu-Undan facilities for carbon sequestration operations after gas production ceases. 

Santos is working closely with the Timor-Leste regulator, ANPM, towards the necessary agreements and regulatory framework that will be required for the Bayu-Undan CCS project. The project will also need agreements between the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia, and some Australian regulatory arrangements. 

"Located in Timor-Leste with potential CO2 sources from Australian gas projects and other industries in the Northern Territory, Bayu-Undan CCS could be the start of a valuable new carbon services industry for Timor-Leste. It would create new jobs and a new revenue stream for the nation once gas production from Bayu-Undan ceases," said Kevin Gallagher, Santos Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. 

“With about 80% of the world’s energy still coming from hydrocarbons, including natural gas, and new supply investment still required to meet the world’s ongoing demand for these products, it is essential that we decarbonize their production. CCS offers a large-scale, low-cost and permanent way to progressively make these fuels cleaner. CCS will also enable new clean fuels industries such as hydrogen which will dramatically reduce not only Scope 1 and 2 emissions, but Scope 3 emissions as well.” 

A FID on Bayu-Undan CCS is targeted for 2023, subject to relevant regulatory frameworks and agreements being in place in both Timor-Leste and Australia. 

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