Page 5 - GLNG Week 45 2021

GLNG COMMENTARY GLNG

provided on what these projects would be or due to be made under this roadmap include
where in the state they would be located. those into low-emissions technologies such as
“We look forward to further discussions with hydrogen, solar energy, low-emissions steel,
the Western Australian Government to develop low-emissions aluminium and CCS.
lower-carbon projects and unlock emissions Globally, more and more countries are also
reduction potential across the state,” said Chev- targeting net zero emissions by 2050, and
ron Australia’s managing director, Mark Hat- the International Energy Agency (EIA) has
field, in a statement. described CCS as a critical process for emissions
cuts.
Test case And despite the Gorgon CCS project’s chal-
Gorgon is seen as a test case for the deployment lenges to date, other LNG project developers
of CCS, especially at major fossil fuel-based pro- are also planning to build new CCS capacity
jects. Chevron is working to bring the facility to to capture emissions from their liquefaction
its full capacity, and has captured an additional plants. Among these is QatarEnergy – formerly
500,000 tonnes of CO2e since July, but critics Qatar Petroleum – which is currently building
continue to question the technology’s effective- its North Field East (NFE) expansion. NFE will Gorgon is seen
ness in the context of the energy transition. be the world’s largest gas liquefaction project,
“When you consider indirect (Scope 3) pol- and will include a CCS facility that will also be as a test case for
lution from burning the gas produced by Gor- the largest of its kind in the LNG industry. the deployment of
gon, the CCS technology would have reduced Separately, US-based Venture Global LNG
overall pollution from Gorgon by less than 2%,” recently unveiled plans to build CCS capacity to CCS, especially at
the Conservation Council of Western Austral- capture emissions from its newly built Calcasieu
ia’s (CCWA) policy and legal director, Piers Pass export terminal, as well as the proposed major fossil fuel-
Verstegen, was quoted by the Australian Finan- Plaquemines LNG facility. The project would
cial Review as saying this week. “This shows be the first CCS facility of its kind in the US, based projects.
very clearly that CCS cannot be relied upon as built to support existing LNG capacity. Other
a technology to allow fossil fuel production to CCS proposals have also been put forward in
continue and increase,” he added. support of liquefaction projects that have yet to
Nonetheless, CCS is seen as a critical technol- be sanctioned.
ogy for decarbonisation both in Australia and Chevron’s experience at Gorgon serves as a
globally. Indeed, this week the Australian fed- warning of the challenges that may lie ahead
eral government released the modelling behind for these developments and others that may
its recently adopted target of net zero GHG emerge. However, this does not yet appear to
emissions by 2050. CCS appears set to play a sig- have deterred LNG exporters, which are seeking
nificant role, with 40% of emissions reductions a way to continue producing the super-chilled
expected to be contributed by the government’s fuel while still supporting the energy transition,
Technology Investment Roadmap. Investments especially in the face of rising gas demand.™

Week 45 12•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P5