The Australian Government has granted Major Project Status to the Bonaparte CCS Project, marking it as the country’s first offshore carbon capture and storage project to achieve this designation. Operated by Inpex subsidiary Inpex Browse E&P (53%), with partners TotalEnergies (26%) and Woodside (21%), the project aims to store over 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually in a high-quality saline aquifer located 250 km offshore Darwin.
Appraisal work has confirmed the site’s suitability for safe and permanent CO2 storage. Preliminary engineering began in April 2025, with CO2 injection targeted for around 2030. The project is viewed as a significant contributor to Australia’s net zero goals and has the potential to become one of the world’s largest commercial CCS efforts.
Industry leaders assert that this initiative supports job creation, reduces emissions, and strengthens Australia’s global leadership in carbon capture and storage, building on existing projects like Gorgon and Moomba. According to the Net Zero Australia study, scaling up CCS will be essential to meet national climate targets.
Photo courtesy of Inpex
