Ten years of CO₂ storage and operations

Abstract

The CO2CRC storage research site, in the Otway Basin (south-west Victoria), focuses on understanding fundamental mechanisms of geological carbon storage resources in saline aquifers. The world-leading project is demonstrating that carbon capture and storage is a technically and environmentally safe way to make deep cuts into global greenhouse gas emissions. Upstream Production Solutions (Upstream PS) are the nominated site manager and have provided ongoing project management, facilities engineering, construction, operations and maintenance services to CO2CRC from the project’s inception.

Over the course of the last 10 years, the project has undergone well and facilities design, and drilling and construction phases, with separate injections of over 80 000 tonnes of CO₂ rich gas into the formation for research purposes. Unique and dynamic concurrent projects as at the time of writing are: designing a fifth well for the project; commissioning a carbon capture package to provide valuable research data on emerging membrane and adsorption technologies; maintaining and monitoring the overall non-operational site; and planning for a well abandonment.

This sphere of project activity across the whole life cycle requires a robust and holistic focus on management of risk, planning, implementation of right sized solutions and strong stakeholder communications.

This paper details the nature of projects executed and specific challenges encountered and met whilst still following lean practices for a safe yet cost-effective operation for this world leading CO₂ research project.