
The Angel CCS Joint Venture has joined forces with Yara Pilbara Fertilisers Pty Ltd (Yara Pilbara) to investigate the feasibility of employing carbon capture and storage (CCS) to decarbonise Yara Pilbara’s existing operations near Karratha, Western Australia.
The proposed large-scale, multi-user CCS hub, operated by Woodside Energy, aims to assist Australian and international industries in their decarbonisation efforts.
Yara Pilbara has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Angel CCS Joint Venture to explore the potential of CCS in reducing emissions from their operations in the Burrup Strategic Industrial Area.
Woodside Vice President Carbon Solutions Jayne Baird highlighted the significance of the MOU, emphasising CCS’s role in decarbonising both existing and new industries across the Pilbara region.
“A multi-user CCS hub near Karratha would aggregate emissions from various existing industrial sources, providing users with a local, low-cost, and large-scale emissions abatement solution — a competitive advantage as jurisdictions worldwide implement emissions reduction targets,” said Baird.
In addition to decarbonising existing industries, the CCS hub could facilitate the development of new lower-carbon industries, such as hydrogen, ammonia, and green steel production, supporting the diversification of Western Australia’s economy.
The proposed CCS facility’s initial size is contingent on further technical, regulatory, and commercial studies, but it could potentially process up to five million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, making it one of the largest CCS hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition to domestic applications, the Angel CCS Joint Venture is exploring the hub’s potential to serve international customers, potentially reducing emissions from Australia’s key trading partners and creating a new export opportunity for Australia.