Woodside Energy plans to resubmit its carbon capture and storage (CCS) proposal for the Browse gas development following changes to Australia’s environmental approval framework under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), introduced last October. The company has stated that the withdrawal is procedural and reflects updates to the legislation rather than any change to the project itself.
The Browse development, linked to the North West Shelf LNG project in Western Australia, is designed to capture and permanently store at least 85% of the carbon dioxide separated from reservoir fluids. With CO2 content of up to 12%, the field requires large-scale emissions management from the outset. The CCS system would capture carbon dioxide and store it in offshore geological formations, forming a central part of the project’s emissions management approach.
The withdrawal and planned resubmission come as developers across Australia adjust to evolving environmental requirements. Changes to the EPBC framework are expected to influence how large-scale projects are assessed and progressed, particularly those involving offshore infrastructure and emissions mitigation technologies.
Photo courtesy of Woodside Energy