An environmental group says the failure of energy giant Chevron to meet emissions targets at a Pilbara gas plant will undermine public confidence in carbon capture and storage technology.
It has been revealed the Gorgon LNG plant, which operates on Barrow Island off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast, has not reached its target to capture and inject 80 per cent of emissions underground in the first five years of the project.
The Conservation Council of Western Australia’s director, Piers Verstegen, said he was not surprised Chevron had fallen short of the target.
“It’s just not good enough,” he said.
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“That’s why we’re now calling on the Environment Minister and the state government to enforce those conditions and require Chevron to meet its promises.
“There is going to be a realisation that carbon capture and storage technology is problematic, it’s very expensive and it hasn’t worked in this particular situation and it shouldn’t be relied upon to justify the increased expansion of the oil and gas industry.”
Chevron Australia said the Gorgon carbon capture and storage (CCS) system worked by taking carbon dioxide from offshore gas reservoirs and injecting it two kilometres under Barrow Island, where it remains trapped.
Managing director Mark Hatfield said the system had significantly reduced the amount of greenhouse gases being vented into the atmosphere, but said the time taken to get the project started meant the company had not met its injection requirements.
“Chevron is working with the WA regulator on making up the shortfall and will report publicly on that later in the year,” Mr Hatfield said.
“Like any pioneering endeavour, it takes time to optimise a new system to ensure it performs reliably over 40-plus years of operation.
“CCS is a proven technology, which experts agree is critical to achieving a lower carbon future while ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy for billions around the world who rely on it.”
Source: abcnews
