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Glencore has been a long-term supporter of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support the global transition to a low carbon economy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) views CCS as a ‘key technology’ in this transition.
The key objective of the CTSCo Project is to demonstrate carbon capture from a power station and evaluate the feasibility of storage by injection testing of the captured CO2 in the Surat Basin in Queensland.
The project is intended as a first step toward large-scale CCS, with the potential for emissions from multiple other industrial sources being captured and safely stored.
A deep sandstone formation within the Surat Basin provides the right conditions for long-term geological storage of large volumes of CO2.
Glencore is currently assessing the suitability of its Surat Basin tenement for long-term CO2 storage.
Drilling of CTSCo’s appraisal well in the Surat Basin. The site has now been rehabilitated.
We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing technical and funding support from a range of organisations that make a vital contribution to this project.
We are also grateful for the specialist researchers who support us, including scientists and leading technical experts who have been engaged to undertake specific scientific studies and programs in the areas of geology, geophysics, storage and water.
Leading institutions involved include University of Queensland, University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of Texas, Simon Fraser University (Calgary), CSIRO and Institute of Mine Seismology Pty Ltd.
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2010-2014 |
CTSCo holds a number of CCS tenements in the Surat Basin, Australia. The Surat Basin was identified in the 2010 Queensland CO2 Geological Storage Atlas as having the potential to store up to 3 billion tonnes of CO2. The project was named under the Australian Government’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Flagship program during the Rudd Government. |
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2014-2015 |
In October 2014, CTSCo received funding from the COAL 21 Fund. This followed the successful completion of the pre-feasibility study under the CCS Flagship including confirmation of geological suitability for CO2 storage within the awarded tenement of EPQ7 in the northern Surat Basin. |
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2015-2019 |
Between 2015 and 2019, a feasibility study was undertaken in the northern Surat Basin, near Wandoan. This activity included drilling exploration wells for appraisal and environmental monitoring. It also included advanced in-field technical studies on the geology, water and surface soil, air and groundwater for storage potential. During this period, CTSCo actively engaged with the local community regarding the proposed test injection program. This included community baseline survey, one-on-one meetings with local community and landowners, community drop-in sessions, a community meeting, presentations to the local conservation group and other regional non-governmental organisations. In response to stakeholder feedback and in consultation with regulators, CTSCo proactively decided to move the injection testing location from exploration Greenhouse Gas (GHG) storage permit EPQ7 in the north of the Surat Basin, to EPQ10 in the south of the Surat Basin. |
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2020 |
In 2020, CTSCo began field work and drilled an appraisal well at a site in the southern Surat Basin, west of Moonie to a depth of 2.3 kilometres. The data collected from this well confirmed the viability of the location in terms of the porosity and permeability of the geology to inject CO2. A second well was drilled in 2021 for monitoring and verification during injection testing. Sampling was conducted of rock and groundwater to continue to evaluate the site. |
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2021 |
In April 2021, CTSCo and China Huaneng Group Clean Energy Research Institute Co Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation on CCS technology. CTSCo will use China Huaneng's CO2 capture technology at the Millmerran Power Station in Queensland. CTSCo continued to evaluate the feasability of the EPQ10 site near Moonie, Queensland for the storage of CO2. |
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2022 |
In February 2022, CTSCo commenced the environmental approvals process with the Queensland Government for the injection testing project. The approvals process is expected to conclude in 2023. In June 2022, Marubeni Corporation and Electric Power Development Co (J-POWER) provided AUD$10 million each in funding to the project. |
The CTSCo Project is located in the southern part of the Surat Basin in Queensland, more than 400 kilometres west of Brisbane, making it close to a number of industrial emission sources.
The Australian Government’s National Carbon Storage Taskforce report and the Queensland Government Greenhouse Gas Storage Atlas identified the Surat Basin as a key geological storage area for CO2.
The Atlas concluded that there are almost 3 billion tonnes of theoretical CO2 storage potential available in the Basin. The Precipice Sandstone (aquifer) accounts for 1.3 billion tonnes of this theoretical storage potential.
In Australia, Glencore operates 25 mines across our coal, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt commodity businesses. With operations in Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, we provide work for around 18,000 people.
We have a successful track record of operating in Australia for over 20 years.
Learn more about Glencore Australia.
In 2019, CTSCo secured the EPQ10 greenhouse gas (GHG) exploration permit located in the southern Surat Basin. The project currently has approval to undertake exploration work over the permit area.
Exploration activities include:
- drilling wells to determine geology and water quality
- environmental and social baseline studies to support the approvals process
- seismic surveys to determine geological structures and features.
The project will be seeking approval for small-scale CO2 injection testing via an injection well deep into a rock formation more than two kilometres below the surface.
Find out more about regulatory approvals, environmental assessment and social assessment on our sustainability page.
CTSCo is partnering with the China Huaneng Group (CHG), shareholder in the Millmerran Power Station in Queensland, to develop CO2 capture technology for existing power stations.
We have completed feasibility and front-end engineering design studies into delivering an integrated post-combustion capture (PCC) plant at Millmerran.
The plant will capture 110,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, ready for transport.
CTSCo's injection testing of the CO2 storage is a potential pathway to an industrial scale storage hub in Queensland, capable of servicing multiple industries, including power generation, hydrogen production, cement manufacturing, steel manufacturing, fertiliser production and chemical manufacturing.
Since receiving a greenhouse gas (GHG) exploration permit – at EPQ10 – in the southern part of the Surat Basin in 2019, we have conducted exploration and appraisal activities within the tenement, including successful drilling of wells.
These activities aim to confirm the location for the injection testing project and provide foundation data for future industrial scale CO2 storage.
With funding support from the Australian Government, Low Emission Technologies Australia (LETA) (formerly COAL21), Australian National Low Emissions Coal (ANLEC) R&D Limited, Marubeni Corporation and Electric Power Development Co (J-POWER), Glencore expects to make a final investment decision on the CTSCo Project following approvals processes.
On the 24 May 2024, the Queensland Government notified Glencore that it would reject the CTSCo carbon capture and storage project in the Surat Basin.
The CTSCo Project was a test case for carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Queensland and this decision highlights the Queensland Government’s failure to reconcile conflicting legislative provisions to enable CCS projects in Queensland.
Following this, on the 31 May 2024, the Premier of Queensland, Steven Miles, announced a government decision to ban CCS in the Great Artesian Basin.
The decision has effectively banned CCS in Queensland.
Both decisions are very disappointing and come after a damaging misinformation campaign and political opportunism by multiple players in relation to our Project.
CTSCo has published more than 3,000 pages of scientific data which has formed our EIS and has been reviewed by third party experts, including the Australian Government Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC), the Queensland Government Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment (OGIA) and CSIRO.
Throughout the environmental approvals process we have remained open and transparent with our information and studies which has been available on this site for over 18 months.
We will continue to make all versions of our EIS available to ensure that the facts remain available to the public.
Following submission of the final EIS in October 2023, feedback from government agencies was provided. The Final Amended EIS has incorporated this feedback. You can review the Final Amended EIS by using the links below.
The draft EIS public submission period closed in late February 2023. Feedback received during this process has been incorporated into the final EIS. You can review the final EIS by using the links below.
Glencore is continuing to review the decision in detail and the Government’s latest decision to introduce legislation to ban CCS and will consider our options going forward.