1. Potential and Positioning of CCUS in Western Australia

Dr. Alex King outlined Western Australia’s (WA) strategic vision for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), anchored by the recently launched WA CCUS Action Plan. He emphasized the state’s substantial geological storage capacity, capable of storing up to 700 years’ worth of its own CO₂ emissions, highlighting WA’s immense potential as a CCUS hub. Dr. King traced the journey from the WA CCS Hub Study, commissioned by the LNG Jobs Taskforce, which validated the feasibility of CCS clusters in the region. He also noted the alignment between existing industrial infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and depleted petroleum fields, making WA a prime candidate for large-scale deployment. The socio-economic benefits were significant, with projections of tens of thousands of jobs and opportunities for international partnerships. WA aims to leverage its strengths to play a leading role in regional decarbonization efforts through CCS.

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2. Importance of Collaboration to Develop the CCUS Value Chain

Dr. Sanjay C. Kuttan emphasized the need for a holistic and collaborative approach to advance the carbon value chain, especially in maritime carbon capture and storage (CCS). He shared insights from a series of projects by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, including engineering studies, CO₂ offloading concepts, lifecycle assessments, and ongoing pilot initiatives. He stressed that effective CCS requires coordination across stakeholders—from emitters to port authorities and storage sites. Given the lack of domestic sequestration in countries like Singapore, Japan, and Korea, cross-border shipping of CO₂ to countries like Australia is vital. Dr. Kuttan outlined commercial, technical, and regulatory challenges, such as matching source hubs with sinks, ensuring CO₂ purity, vessel design, and addressing legal liabilities under frameworks like the London Protocol. Ultimately, he called for multi-stakeholder collaboration, government support, and alignment on standards to successfully build an APAC-wide CCS ecosystem.

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3. Australia Needs to Optimize Infrastructure Demands and Collaboration to Keep the Competitive

In Asia Pacific, shipping is highlighted as a key enabler for cross-border CO₂ transport, essential for decarbonizing industrial nations like Japan and South Korea. By 2050, the region may require 100 Mtpa of CO₂ storage, 15 export/import terminals, 120 ships, and $42 billion in CAPEX. Australia faces stiff competition from Malaysia and Indonesia, already engaged in multiple CO₂ export agreements. Key challenges include port congestion, CO₂ specification management, and boil-off gas. Enablers include interoperable infrastructure, larger or pressurized ships, direct offshore injection, and digital tools like Virtuoso and CC Expert. Wood calls for stronger collaboration—industry-wide CO₂ spec alignment, simplified offtake agreements, and supportive government policies. The message is clear: project-specific design and early-stage optimization are critical, and with 2030 approaching fast, Australia must act swiftly to lead in regional CCS.