PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has recommended a compliance start date for US energy major Chevron’s carbon dioxide (CO2) injection system, at its Gorgon gas development, on Barrow Island.
Chevron in August this year announced the safe start-up of the CO2 injection system at Gorgon will reduce the project’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 40%, or more than 100-million tonnes over the life of the injection project.
The EPA was tasked with inquiring into the date at which Chevron would be accountable for its CO2 injection system, given the delay in using the injection system after the proponent had begun gas processing operations.
EPA chairperson Dr Tom Hatton said Chevron’s CO2 injection system was a key foundation for the original approval of the Gorgon Gas Development on Barrow Island.
“The EPA has recommended the compliance start date for the commencement of the injection system is when Chevron Australia was issued its first licence for gas processing operations under the Environmental Protection Act 1986,” Hatton said.
The Gorgon gas development has been developed in a staged approach and the first licence to operate a liquefied natural gas processing train was granted in July 2016.
The Minister for Environment will make the final decision on changing the implementation conditions and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will be responsible for the compliance and enforcement of the conditions in Ministerial Statement.