
In a major move towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Woodside Energy has announced plans to incorporate a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system into its proposed Browse gas megaproject off the coast of Western Australia.
The company aims to capture and store millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide produced during gas extraction, potentially marking a turning point in the project’s environmental impact.
The Browse project, located approximately 425 kilometres north of Broome, is set to develop the Brecknock, Calliance, and Torosa gas fields.
The proposed CCS system is designed to capture the majority of CO2 from the Browse reservoir and inject it deep underground within the Calliance Storage Formation, about four kilometres below sea level.
Woodside estimates that this CCS initiative could reduce potential Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions from Browse by approximately 53 million tonnes, representing a 47 per cent decrease.
The system is expected to be operational shortly after the Browse to North West Shelf (NWS) Project offshore production facilities achieve steady-state production.
The development concept for Browse includes two floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facilities capable of delivering 11.4 million tonnes per annum of LNG, LPG, and domestic gas.
An approximately 900-kilometre pipeline will connect these facilities to the existing NWS Project infrastructure.
However, the project faces hurdles in the form of regulatory approvals.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill expressed frustration with stalled approval processes, particularly for the North West Shelf life extension, which needs to be approved before Browse can progress further.
The company hopes to advance the CCS aspect of the project before the end of 2025, but uncertainties in approval timelines have affected other elements of the development.
Environmental groups have criticised Woodside’s CCS plans, arguing that they are insufficient to address the project’s overall climate impact.
Critics point out that the targeted reduction represents only a fraction of the total emissions when including indirect (Scope 3) emissions from gas consumption.
As Australia grapples with balancing its role as a major LNG exporter and its commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the Browse project and its associated CCS scheme have become a focal point in the ongoing debate about the future of fossil fuel developments in the country.