Underground seabed primed for massive carbon dioxide injection
By Benjamin Preiss
March 1, 2020 — 12.15am
A vast swathe of underground rock beneath the sea is being primed to store millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide with the latest tests showing the site could help deliver a massive cut in greenhouse emissions.
A 150-metre-tall rig arrived in Victorian waters in November and began test drilling at the site, which lies 8 kilometres off Ninety Mile Beach.
The government has described the “positive initial results” as a milestone in the project that would store 125 million tonnes of carbon dioxide under the
Scientists have examined 90 metres of core samples from the seabed in the past eight weeks but testing will continue to determine how much space is available to be filled.
The project’s backers believe the site can hold the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted by 25 million cars over a one-year period.
The capture and storage project, known as CarbonNet, is expected to begin operating in the late 2020s.
But the carbon storage technology is controversial with environmental groups urging the government to scrap its plans for the project and promote renewable energy generation instead.
However, the government argues that removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground is an important part of “decarbonisation”.
Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes said supporting the “groundbreaking technology” was crucial to reducing carbon emissions.
“These initial results are really exciting. It means that we are a step closer to a carbon capture and storage network that creates jobs and helps the environment,” she said.
The state and federal governments have so far pitched in at least $150 million for CarbonNet but it would need billions of dollars to become operational.
The CarbonNet project is collaborating with the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain, which is a pilot project to generate hydrogen power from coal in the Latrobe Valley.
CarbonNet acting director Steve Marshall said the storage project would begin working with the hydrogen producers in the Latrobe Valley but in future may partner with other existing industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
“We’re seeing other similar hub style projects around the world mature and progress – these too are helping multiple new industries to start up and existing industries address their emissions profiles,” he said.
“Industries need to take action to lower emissions and carbon capture and storage is one of the solutions along with things like more renewable energy and battery use.”
A test carbon project was set up in the Otway region where 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been stored underground for a decade.
Environment Victoria chief executive Jono La Nauze disputed suggestions that carbon storage projects were operating at a commercially successful scale around the world.
“Despite decades of promises nobody has proven carbon sequestration to be viable,” he said.
Mr La Nauze said there should be more support for renewable energy rather than investing in carbon storage.
“The fact is we’ve got proven, safe, commercially competitive technology in wind, solar and batteries,” he said. “And they’re really quick
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/underground-seabed-primed-for-massive-carbon-dioxide-injection-20200228-p545ho.html