Bonaparte CCS Project awarded Major Project Status

Posted 3 July 2025

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – The Bonaparte CCS Assessment 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 awarding Major Project Status to the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Project.

INPEX Managing Director and Country Chair Australia, Tetsu Murayama, said the announcement by Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, highlights the Bonaparte CCS Project’s recognised potential to support a lower carbon future.

“Being awarded Major Project Status is pleasing acknowledgement by the Australian Government of the Bonaparte CCS Project’s strategic importance in supporting the nation’s net zero goals. Significantly, this is the first offshore CCS project to receive Major Project Status in Australia.

“Appraisal works in 2024 confirmed a high-quality saline aquifer reservoir with thick sealing formations which appear suitable for safe and permanent carbon storage in the Bonaparte Basin, approximately 250 kilometres offshore Darwin. It is proving to be one of the most promising carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage sites globally, with an anticipated capacity of more than 10 million tonnes per annum.

“This means the Bonaparte CCS Project could substantially contribute to decarbonising northern Australia and potentially the wider Indo-Pacific region.

“On behalf of the Bonaparte CCS Assessment Joint Venture, INPEX will continue engaging closely with community, and the Australian and Northern Territory governments to advance this significant project,” said Mr Murayama.

Preliminary front-end engineering design work commenced in April 2025 with first CO₂ injection planned around 2030. The Ichthys Joint Venture is expected to be the anchor customer.

The Bonaparte CCS Assessment Joint Venture is now conducting detailed analysis of the reservoir appraisal data, to support a Declaration of Identified GHG Storage Formation application in advance of obtaining a greenhouse gas injection licence.

Media contact: Carina Peart; +61 451 399 660; [email protected]

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INPEX is committed to recognising and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples whose cultures have existed in Australia for more than 65,000 years.

In particular, we acknowledge the Larrakia people as the recognised Traditional Owners of the land and waters where Ichthys LNG onshore facilities are located, in addition to the Whadjuk Nyoongar people on whose lands our Perth office is situated. Furthermore, Broome and Djarindjin are important logistical locations for transit of our offshore workforce, and we therefore extend our acknowledgement to the Yawuru, Bardi and Jawi peoples, respectively.

INPEX acknowledges the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to play in the development of our business in Australia and pay our respects to their Elders – past and present.