The introduction of the Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 and the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Safety Levies Amendment Bill 2023 is a significant step towards enabling carbon capture and storage initiatives in Western Australia.
- Proposal to enable the transport and storage of greenhouse gases through legislation
- Framework to include exploration for naturally occurring hydrogen in Western Australia
The Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 and the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Safety Levies Amendment Bill 2023 were introduced into the Western Australian Parliament today by the Minister for Mines, Petroleum and Hydrogen, the Hon. Bill Johnston.
The proposed legislation aims to facilitate the transport and storage of greenhouse gases in Western Australia, in line with the State's ambition to achieve net zero emissions as set out in the WA Climate Policy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy.
In addition to establishing a framework for the storage and transport of greenhouse gases, the bills will also allow for the exploration of naturally occurring hydrogen as a regulated substance.
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) involves the capture and storage of carbon dioxide to mitigate emissions from large industrial processes and projects. CCUS is recognised globally as an important tool for decarbonising operations in industries that are struggling to transition to low-carbon alternatives.
The Cook Government sees CCUS as a critical mechanism for working towards the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.