Woodside Energy is preparing to resubmit its proposed Browse carbon capture and storage (CCS) project after withdrawing it from Australia’s environmental approvals process, reflecting changes under the country’s updated regulatory framework.
The project had been under review through the federal approvals system, but was pulled following reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). The revised legislation is intended to streamline permitting while strengthening environmental safeguards, allowing developers to refile applications under updated criteria.
Woodside has indicated it remains committed to advancing the project and plans to submit a revised proposal aligned with the new requirements.
CCS central to Browse gas development
The Browse project is tied to offshore gas fields in northwest Australia, which are expected to supply the long-operating North West Shelf LNG facility, recently granted a life extension through 2070. A key challenge is the relatively high carbon dioxide content of the gas, estimated at up to 12%.
Under current policy expectations, these emissions cannot be vented and must instead be managed through mitigation measures such as carbon capture and storage.
Woodside’s proposal involves injecting up to four million metric tons of CO2 annually back into geological formations, with the aim of reducing direct emissions by nearly half.
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The project is being developed in partnership with BP, Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Corporation, and PetroChina International, highlighting the international scale of investment in Australian LNG and CCS infrastructure.
The regulatory shift is already affecting other projects. Inpex has similarly indicated plans to resubmit its Bonaparte CCS project under the revised EPBC framework.
Australia has positioned carbon capture as a key tool for managing emissions from its natural gas sector, particularly for projects with high CO2 content. However, evolving environmental standards and approval processes are shaping how such projects move forward.
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