Page 12 - AsiaElec Week 30 2021

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Chevron misses CCS

target at Gorgon LNG

AUSTRALIA SUPER-MAJOR Chevron confirmed this week it takes time to optimise a new system to ensure
that it would not meet its carbon dioxide (CO2) it performs reliably over 40-plus years of opera-
injection target at its Gorgon LNG facility, tion,” he continued. “The road hasn’t always been
which has a carbon capture and storage (CCS) smooth, but the challenges we’ve faced – and
component. overcome – make it easier for those who aspire
Under the terms of approval for the Gorgon to reduce their emissions through CCS.”
LNG project, Chevron and its partners were According to Hatfield, Chevron is commit-
required to capture 4mn tonnes per year (tpy) of ted to sharing the lessons it has learned from
emissions over the first five years of operation, or the Gorgon injection project with state and fed-
around 80% of total emissions over this period. eral governments, research institutes and other
However, Chevron said this week that only 5mn energy producers to assist with the deployment
tonnes of CO2 equivalent had been captured of CCS across Australia.
since the CCS system was started up in August However, the super-major has come under
2019. fire for missing its injection target, with environ-
Chevron nonetheless hailed this as a “signifi- mental groups calling for it to be heavily fined.
cant milestone”, saying it represented the largest Advocacy group Sustainable Energy Now
volume of injection achieved within this time WA’s chair, Ian Porter, described the injection
frame by any environmental CCS system of shortfall as a “shocking failure of one of the
comparable specifications. Chevron Australia’s world’s largest engineering projects”.
managing director, Mark Hatfield, attributed “I sincerely hope CCS does work one day.
the failure to meet the injection target to delays Ultimately we need it. But until that time, it is
in safely starting up the CCS system. reckless and disingenuous for the industry to
“Chevron is working with the WA [Western keep pretending that it can expand operations
Australia] regulator on making up the shortfall and reach net zero,” he was quoted by the Guard-
and will report publicly on that later in the year,” ian as saying.™
Hatfield said. “Like any pioneering endeavour,

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