A unit of US energy giant Chevron has secured a greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment permit offshore Western Australia. The permit area will be evaluated as part of a hub for storing third party emissions, including those from Chevron’s operated LNG assets.
The G-18-AP permit is offshore from Onslow, Western Australia and covers an area of about 8,467 km2 with water depths of 50-1100m, according to a Chevron statement.
It involves a joint venture with Chevron as operator, and Australian LNG player Woodside.
Chevron will hold a 70 percent participating interest in the permit, and Woodside will hold a 30 percent participating interest.
According to Chevron, the company has agreed to farm down five percent of its equity in the permit to GS Caltex (GSC) of Korea.
GSC’s entry into the permit is conditional on regulatory approvals and other matters.
“Together with the Chevron-operated Gorgon CCS project, one of the world’s largest integrated facilities, coupled with our existing GHG assessment permits, this new award has potential to expand Chevron’s portfolio of CCS assets in Australia,” said Chris Powers, vice president of CCUS and emerging for Chevron New Energies.
This block award adds to Chevron’s non-operated interests in G-9-AP, G-10-AP, and G-11-AP as well as operating Gorgon CCS which has now captured and stored 10 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent, Chevron said.
In Australia, Chevron operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG export plants.
Launched in 2016, the Gorgon LNG plant has three trains and a production capacity of about 15.6 mtpa.
The Wheatstone foundation project consists of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 8.9 mtpa, and the first shipment left the facility in 2017.