The $48.4 million National Geosequestration Laboratory (NGL) in Perth was officially opened by Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane last week.
The new centre – a collaboration between the CSIRO, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia – is set to make Western Australia a national leader in carbon capture.
“The ability to store large volumes of carbon dioxide safely, at a reasonable price will have a significant impact in securing the benefits of Australia’s energy sector well into the future,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is recognised internationally as a technology that can reduce carbon emissions. The International Energy Agency believes CCS has the potential to reduce emissions into the atmosphere by as much as 13 per cent by 2050. The coal and gas sectors are major contributors to our economy and to our diverse energy mix, and are also vital in powering economic development in some of the world’s most rapidly growing countries, so this research in CCS technology is particularly important for Australia.”
The NGL project will bring together technology, equipment, and research to assess and develop sites for the long term storage of carbon.
Image credit: ngl.org.au
“NGL is well equipped and located in one of the world’s most significant oil, gas, energy and minerals regions, making it ideal for industry to get involved in storage research,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“Industry investment is essential in order to translate CCS research into commercial applications.”
In welcoming the official opening of the NGL centre, Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion said that the world-class research and development facility reflects Western Australia’s diversifying economy and focus on science and technology.
“The $48.4 million laboratory is a major milestone in our drive to become a global centre for energy and resources research. It has the potential to play a significant role in helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and in developing technology that could be exported worldwide,” Mr Marmion said.
“Locating this laboratory in WA is appropriate, given the pivotal research role being played by the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s South West Hub project. Research in this leading edge facility will bolster and complement work on the South West Hub project, which is investigating the Lesueur Sandstone formation near Harvey, for industrial-scale carbon dioxide storage. WA’s global role in this sector is also reflected in the Gorgon CO2 Injection Project on Barrow Island, which is set to be the largest in the world.”
