Testing carbon capture technology on a large scale

Curtin University is entering a three-year, multimillion-dollar agreement with carbon capture and storage research organisation CO2CRC.

Researchers from the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences will apply their seismic monitoring expertise and geophysics knowledge to monitor thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to be injected underground at the Otway International Test Centre in Victoria.

The Curtin team will use new fibre-optic sensors to monitor how the gas behaves during the next stage of the Otway Project, aiming to improve understanding of carbon capture and storage technology by testing its safety and feasibility for reducing the impact of carbon emissions on a large scale.

Curtin has worked on previous stages of the project and will continue to contribute thanks to this latest $2.4 million collaboration agreement supported by Low Emission Technology Australia.

This funding is part of the overall $50 million project supported by partners including Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, BHP and the governments of Japan, Korea and Australia.

Project lead Professor Roman Pevzner said carbon capture and storage will be crucial in mitigating climate change and reaching emissions targets in the future, but it was essential it was made as safe and effective as possible.

“If you inject CO₂ into the ground, you need to monitor it, and using geophysics and fibre-optic sensing allows us to do this very effectively,” Pevzner said.

“We can make sure the gas isn’t going where it shouldn’t be and it’s also good at detecting leaks which might be too small for other forms of monitoring to detect.”

The Centre for Exploration Geophysics Director, John Curtin Distinguished Professor Boris Gurevich, said the technology offered other exciting new capabilities.

“These fibre-optic sensors weren’t around just a few years ago and they are also great for long-term monitoring as they can be left undisturbed for a long period of time,” Gurevich said.

CO2CRC Chief Executive Dr Matthias Raab said the partnership with Curtin upheld Australia’s leadership role in global carbon capture, utilisation and storage.

“Australia should be proud of the rigour and veracity of the work that is being done to achieve meaningful outcomes in the national and international interest,” Raab said.

“The International Energy Agency has said global 2050 climate goals are unattainable without carbon capture, utilisation and storage, so with renewable energy rolling out slower than needed in most major economies, there is increasing need to accelerate new carbon capture and storage projects.”

Image Caption: (L–R): Curtin University Adjunct Research Fellow Dr Valeriya Shulakova, Professor Roman Pevzner and CO2CRC Chief Operating Officer Paul Barraclough. Image credit: CO2CRC.