A state government study into carbon dioxide geosequestration has identified Harvey Ridge, south of Lake Clifton, as having the best potential for a future site within 50km of the Collie coalfields, Resources Minister Francis Logan has announced.
A state government study into carbon dioxide geosequestration has identified Harvey Ridge, south of Lake Clifton, as having the best potential for a future site within 50km of the Collie coalfields, Resources Minister Francis Logan has announced.
The full text of a ministerial announcement is pasted below
A new study has identified an area south of Lake Clifton as having the best potential for future carbon dioxide geosequestration in the South-West.
The study, commissioned by the State Government's Coal Futures Group as part of its push towards clean coal technology, assessed the potential for geosequestration in the Collie and Perth Basins.
It was undertaken by the Canberra-based Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies, using expertise from the CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and Curtin University of Technology.
Resources and Energy Minister Francis Logan said the study identified the area south of Lake Clifton, known as Harvey Ridge, with the highest potential for storage of a large volume of carbon dioxide within 50km of the Collie coalfields.
Mr Logan said consideration would now be given to further investigations of the area.
"This report provides us with a great guide to the future potential of geosequestration and direction for the region and is just the first step for the future of clean coal," he said.
Geosequestration relates to the storage of carbon dioxide from major energy-related sources into geological reservoirs deep below the ground. The carbon dioxide is separated, compressed and transported by pipeline and injected into suitable underground traps.
Coal Futures Group chairman, Collie MLA Mick Murray, said Harvey Ridge was considered the best location because it would allow the injection of carbon dioxide at depths of three kilometres and hosted a combination of trapping mechanisms.
"The overlying upper Lesueur Sandstone and Cockleshell Gully formations are two kilometres thick and may provide suitable storage potential and containment security for the anticipated volume of carbon dioxide to be sequestered from the Collie and South-West region," Mr Murray said.
"The report also investigated the potential for geosequestration in the Collie Basin. But although showing some potential for storage, it was considered too small for long-term sequestration.
The Minister said the Coal Futures Group should be congratulated on meeting its objective of advancing the knowledge of clean coal technology.
"Western Australia is a world leader in carbon sequestration with the Gorgon project in the North-West, the proposed BP/Rio Tinto proposal at Kwinana and the knowledge being developed in the South-West through the release of this report," Mr Logan said.
