The Australian Government has granted Major Project Status to the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project, marking a significant milestone in Western Australia’s energy and climate strategy. Bonaparte is the first offshore CCS project in Australia to receive such recognition, highlighting its major potential to contribute to emissions reduction targets.
The Bonaparte CCS Project is located in the Bonaparte Basin, off the northwest coast of Western Australia. It is being developed by a consortium led by INPEX and TotalEnergies, with the goal of capturing and permanently storing up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually. The project is designed to minimise (CO₂) emissions from industrial operations, particularly LNG production, and is expected to become one of the largest CCS initiatives in the Southern Hemisphere.
Receiving Major Project Status provides the project with streamlined regulatory pathways, enhanced federal coordination, and increased stakeholder confidence. These benefits are intended to accelerate development and ensure the project can meet its operational timeline of commencing CO₂ injection around 2030. The announcement also signals strong federal support for carbon management technologies during Australia’s net-zero transition.
The project aligns with Western Australia’s clean energy ambitions, including the decarbonisation of its LNG sector, the development of low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia exports, and the attraction of international investment in climate-aligned infrastructure.
Federal Minister for Resources Madeleine King said, “since becoming Minister I have emphasised the role the resources sector will play in Australia’s transition to net zero. The International Energy Agency has made it clear that the world won’t get to net zero by 2050 without CCUS. This offshore acreage has the potential to contribute to that important goal. Acquiring this permit provides an opportunity to prove up a large-scale carbon storage site in northern Australia, with the potential to become one of the largest CCS projects in the world.”
As the Bonaparte CCS Project moves forward, it is set to become a model for offshore carbon storage in Western Australia.