Dear Colleagues,

I warmly welcome you to CO2CRC’s CCUS Symposium for 2023, celebrating our 20th year in operation.

At 20 years, we are one of the longest CRCs in operation in Australia successfully transitioning from CRC status in 2015 into the growing organisation we are today. This success can be attributed, in no small part, to the dedication and commitment of our members, the excellence of our research partners, and the enduring support of government.

It is a delight that we can meet again in person this year having staged a hybrid event two years ago.

Those two years since the last Symposium have seen significant changes – both in the political and regulatory environment in which we operate and as a result of the technological and commercial advances made over that time. As such, the theme for this year’s Symposium is ‘Shaping the next decade of CCUS’.

From fundamental research to real life projects in Australia and overseas, this year’s symposium will highlight CO2CRC’s activities as well as broader opportunities and challenges facing CCUS that will shape the success of CCUS rollout over the next decade.

The 2023 Symposium comes at a time when the discussion on climate change and mitigation options has become ever more urgent, including the global implications of the Ukraine conflict sharpening the focus on maintaining energy security while advancing the energy transition.

A change of government in Australia has elevated the nation’s emissions reductions ambitions, but the path to achieving climate goals still remains unclear. With just seven years to meet 2030‘s interim targets, the time has come to turn conversation to action.

Recognition continues to build on the role that carbon capture and storage must play on the road to emissions reduction. But the public discussion of this role is not settled. There are clearly those who oppose CCS, and others who remain unconvinced of its role, but CO2CRC, our members and collaborators are working to ensure these discussions are grounded in truth.

Happily, there have been more steps forward than back in recent months..

CO2CRC is leading the way in research and development of CCUS and other low emission technology solutions, and 2023 has been another exciting year for our organisation.

It was very pleasing to see the Federal Government respond to CO2CRC’s call for concerted action to remove regulatory hurdles to CCS. In this year’s Federal Budget, the Treasurer announced $12 million would be allocated for a review of the environmental management regime for offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities. The review will examine opportunities for regulatory and administrative certainty and efficiency for carbon capture and storage projects.

This was an encouraging response to CO2CRC’s establishment of our regulatory taskforce two months earlier, and our calls to Government to address delays as long as seven or eight years in obtaining approvals for significant CCS projects. The outcome of the review of course remains to be seen, but CO2CRC and our members will participate in the review process and push the case for robust but efficient regulation.

Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King recently highlighted the importance of CCS and CCUS, describing the technologies as “perhaps the single biggest opportunity for emissions reduction in the energy resources sector.”

Aside from political engagement, CO2CRC has been continuing our science and research work – the foundational purpose of our organisation.

One notable advance has been securing Japan’s support for Victoria’s Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project, which builds on CO2CRC’s work on the Gippsland pilot program. The project highlights the key role CCS will play in the accelerated delivery of low cost and low emissions hydrogen. The project confirms that its two enabling technologies – hydrogen extraction from coal and CCS – are real, viable and affordable, with the CCS component of the HESC project representing a fraction of the total project cost. It represents an enormous opportunity to utilise the skills of the Latrobe Valley’s coal, oil, and gas workforce to drive the energy transition in the region, and globally.

Another key development was securing funding to advance the planned Otway Stage 4 program, a multinational research program with leading researchers from Australia, United Kingdom, United States, South Korea, and Japan. Chevron Australia’s $16 million investment into research infrastructure to improve CO2 storage processes in CCUS projects was augmented this month by an additional $10.2 million from three other global energy giants - BP, BHP, and ExxonMobil (Esso). The infrastructure funding will support the drilling of a new, deep well and installation and testing of novel technologies at the Otway International Test Centre. The proposed field trials of several technologies have been developed by CO2CRC and its research partners, to improve characterisation and optimise utilisation of CO2 storage resources. The funding ensures that the Otway International Test Centre continues as critical national research infrastructure for applied research into CCS.

Key partners in the program are the University of Melbourne and Stanford University, who form the backbone of our science program, opening doors to immeasurable knowledge and innovative breakthroughs and delivering a world-class science program alongside some of the finest minds from two of the most prestigious universities globally.

The Geocquest Field Validation (GFV) project, a key part of Otway Stage 4, will deliver the CO2 injection and the science program, for which the CRC-8 well will be drilled later this year.

One of the things that will be crucial to these successes is the relationship we must cultivate with our partners. A clear and collaborative relationship will mean we can focus on the innovative work over the next three and a half years.

These are just some of the initiatives we look forward to discussing at this year’s Symposium.

I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the various plenary, poster, and technical sessions, and embrace the opportunities that this event offers as we move forward to shape the next decade of CCUS.

Most importantly, I wish you an enjoyable and stimulating conference.

Dr Matthias Raab – CEO