**Inpex and Chubu Electric Power Collaborate on Japan-Australia Carbon Capture and Storage Study**
In a significant step towards reducing global carbon emissions, energy giants Inpex Corporation and Chubu Electric Power have embarked on a joint feasibility study to establish a carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain between Japan and Australia. This ambitious project, initiated on October 21, 2024, aims to assess the viability of capturing CO2 emissions in Japan and transporting them for subsurface storage in northern Australia.
**The Plan: Capturing CO2 in Japan and Transporting it to Australia**
The proposed CCS value chain involves several key components. Firstly, Inpex Browse E&P, the subsidiary of Inpex Corporation, and Chubu Electric Power will capture CO2 in Japan, primarily from industrial sources in and around Nagoya, Japan’s largest port by cargo volume. This strategic location is close to various manufacturing plants, including those in the steel, automotive, and machine industries, which account for a significant portion of Japan’s industrial emissions.
Once captured, the CO2 will be transported from the Port of Nagoya to the Bonaparte Basin offshore northern Australia. Inpex has already received a greenhouse-gas (GHG) storage assessment permit in the Bonaparte Basin in 2022, in collaboration with TotalEnergies CCS Australia and Woodside Energy. This joint effort is part of a broader initiative to establish a Darwin-based carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) hub, which could see CO2 injection starting around 2030.
**Reducing Emissions through CCUS**
Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project is expected to benefit from this CCS initiative, aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through this potential CCUS site. Chubu Electric Power, meanwhile, is striving to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions from its operations by 2050. The company has been actively exploring the deployment of CCUS technologies around Nagoya to decarbonize the region.
**International Collaboration and Strategic Partnerships**
This Japan-Australia CCS project demonstrates the growing momentum towards international cooperation in combating climate change. Japanese firms, like Chubu Electric Power, are intensifying their efforts to develop CCS projects and CCUS initiatives, given Japan’s reliance on fossil fuels for energy security and economic growth. The project also underscores the need for diversification in CO2 export destinations to mitigate risks associated with single-country projects