PERTH – Monday 26 August 2024 – Freedom of Information (FOI) documents sourced by Greenpeace Australia Pacific reveal that the gas giant’s attempts to have carbon capture and storage assessed as part of its embattled Browse project would be rejected, forcing the company to submit a new proposal for ‘carbon dumping’.
The FOI documents reveal Woodside attempted to sneak carbon dumping into its existing application for an environmental approval for Browse. However the Federal Government told the company it would block that move, as carbon dumping is “fundamentally different in character” to the original application to drill for gas and required a separate assessment.
To form that view, the Department cited the “nature and extent of potential impacts” from the plan to drill several kilometers underground into two saline water reservoirs off the coast of WA and inject them with carbon pollution.
The Department highlighted new risks, like the carbon injection wells failing, leading to pollution spilling out and causing ‘localised ocean acidification’. The plan would also require new kinds of seismic blasting ‘for 40’ years’ to monitor the CO2 plume in the reservoirs. The acoustic blasting from these surveys could “injure and adversely affect …behaviours of marine fauna” including whales. None of these potentially catastrophic impacts were included in Woodside’s original application to drill for gas.
Joe Rafalowicz, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of Climate and Energy said:
“After twice telling the regulator carbon dumping was too dangerous to use at Browse, Woodside has now tried to sticky-tape it on at the last minute in what looks like a futile attempt to bypass scrutiny.”
“The Department rightly points out that offshore marine carbon dumping technology is in its infancy, and carries risks to our oceans and protected animals that require a thorough assessment.”
“Woodside’s carbon dumping plan likely involves running ‘seismic surveys’ for 40 years, which can deafen whales.”
“Injecting pollution from gas production into an underground saline reservoir several kilometers below the earth is environmentally reckless beyond belief.”
“Woodside can’t be trusted with our oceans, our marine wildlife, our reefs or our climate.”
For Editors:
The Browse project is a key part of Woodside’s Burrup Hub proposal – by far the biggest fossil fuel project currently proposed in Australia today. If approved, the Burrup Hub will emit more than 6.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions over its proposed 50-year lifetime.
Woodside withdrew its carbon dumping variation before the Minister’s delegate could outright reject it. Woodside is now preparing a new application for full assessment – just one of many approvals it needs for the disastrous Browse proposal to proceed.
If approved, Woodside would drill up to 50 wells around WA’s pristine Scott Reef – habitat for endangered whales and turtles and thousands of corals, as well as species like the dusky sea snake that are being considered for listing as newly endangered species.
The carbon dumping proposal from Woodside involves up to an additional 4 wells which would be used for the injection of carbon into the Calliance Southern Aquifer and Brecknock Calliance Graben Aquifer.
Statement ends
For more information, please contact: Lisa Wills / 0456 206 021 / lwills@greenpeace.org
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