The Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture (INPEX Browse E&P Pty Ltd 53% as Operator; TotalEnergies CCS Australia Pty Ltd 26%; and Woodside Energy Ltd 21%) today welcomed the Australian Government’s declaration of identified greenhouse gas storage formation for the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project.

This is the first declaration in Australia for an offshore saline aquifer storage site, and it represents a landmark achievement for the Bonaparte CCS Project. It establishes the technical viability of the potential storage site that has been assessed by the Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture for greenhouse gas injection and storage operations.

INPEX Managing Director, Country Chair Australia, Tetsu Murayama, said the approval represented a significant milestone in the continued advancement of the Bonaparte CCS Project and reflected the extensive technical work undertaken to date.

“The Bonaparte CCS Project has the potential to be one of the world's largest carbon storage developments, and over time support a strategic regional low-carbon hub leveraging Australia’s world-class offshore geological resources, existing energy infrastructure and proximity to major regional markets such as Japan and Singapore.

“This approval represents an important milestone for the Bonaparte CCS Project and reflects the rigorous assessment of the storage site undertaken as part of the broader regulatory process.

“Continued support for the timely progression of regulatory and environmental assessment and approval processes will be critical to advancing the Bonaparte CCS Project and supporting emissions reduction efforts in northern Australia and the IndoPacific region,” Mr Murayama said.

The approval builds on recognition of the Bonaparte CCS Project as the first Australian offshore CCS project to receive Major Project Status from the Australian Government in 2025 and demonstrates continued progress along its development pathway.

Pre-Front-End Engineering and Design (Pre-FEED) work commenced in April 2025 with first carbon dioxide (CO₂) injection targeted for the early 2030s, subject to regulatory approvals and commercial agreements.

Ichthys Joint Venture is expected to be the Bonaparte CCS Project’s anchor customer. The Bonaparte CCS Project has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions from Ichthys LNG by around 40%, contributing to the decarbonisation targets articulated in INPEX Vision 2035.

The Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture will continue undertaking the necessary technical, environmental, regulatory and commercial activities to progress development of the offshore storage site for the Bonaparte CCS Project which is located around 260 kilometres from Darwin.

CCS has the potential to play an important role in helping Australia meet its decarbonisation targets, particularly for industries where emissions are difficult to eliminate through electrification or renewable energy alone. It can also support the development of lower-emissions energy and new industrial opportunities.

Source: INPEX

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