The CO2CRC Otway Project has reached the first major milestone with the storage of 10,000
tonnes of carbon dioxide two kilometres underground in a depleted natural gas reservoir.
“We are closely monitoring the carbon dioxide through one of the world’s most comprehensive
geosequestration monitoring programs and every indication is that the carbon dioxide is behaving
just as researchers have predicted. The injection process is proceeding very well and we are now
starting on our next 10,000 tonnes†the CO2CRC Chief Executive, Dr Peter Cook said.
Through our monitoring program, researchers track the behaviour of the carbon dioxide in the
storage reservoir using very sophisticated geophysical and geochemical techniques.
“Soil, groundwater and atmospheric monitoring complement the subsurface activities. The use of
such a wide variety of monitoring techniques gives us a high level of confidence that the
compressed liquid carbon dioxide is stored safely and securely,†Dr Cook said.
The CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia’s first demonstration of geosequestration, which is taking
place in south-western Victoria, was officially opened by the Federal Minister for Resources and
Energy, Martin Ferguson and the Victorian Minister for Energy, Peter Batchelor on 2 April 2008
During the project, carbon dioxide, the world’s most common greenhouse gas after water vapour, is
compressed to a fluid-like state, piped, injected and stored two kilometres underground in a
depleted natural gas field, where the rocks had previously held natural gas for possibly millions of
years. One of the most important features of the project is the demonstration of new
geosequestration subsurface monitoring techniques.
The CO2CRC Otway Project was recently recognised for its innovative science in a national awards
program. It has attracted interest as a world-leading demonstration project from some of the world’s
leading environment protection agencies.