A new report from Australia’s IEEFA might lead to the suspension of the Barossa project as Santos might not be able to deliver on carbon capture promises.
The report by guest contributor John Robert with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) suggests that the Santos Barossa gas field operations will still emit the same amount of CO2 with or without the company’s proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Based on this report, the IEEFA has called for the suspension of the Santos Barossa project by the regulatory bodies NOPSEMA and NT EPA until the project can be thoroughly reviewed and proven to function.
Aside from Santos, the Barossa gas field is also owned by Japan’s JERA and South Korea’s SK E&S.
Earlier reports issued by the IEEFA had already illustrated the high pollution levels of the Barossa project, saying it is the most emissions intensive LNG facility in all of Australia, and potentially even the world.
Relevant: Santos To Inject CO2 In Depleted Gas Reservoirs
And currently, Santos has filed a new application with the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) for a duplication of its pipeline.
If approved, the proposed project dubbed Darwin Pipeline Duplication (DPD) Project will transport liquefied natural gas from the Barossa gas field to its Darwin LNG facility.
Along the way, it will be duplicating part of the existing Bayu-Undan pipeline.
But Santos is not the only fossil fuel company to be facing trouble due to an inability to adapt to greener practices.
Relevant: Santos To Invest $165M In Moomba Carbon Capture and Storage Project
Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant is at risk of being closed down 7 years earlier than previously agreed.
The reason stated by the 2.88 gigawatt Eraring plant’s operator was the increasing difficulty to compete with renewables.
Now, the plant is set to be closed in 2025, adding to the long list of other coal-fired plants that are forced out of business by the influx of cheaper wind and solar power in Australia.
