The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) led and managed the South West Hub Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) research project. It was funded by the Australian Government’s CCS Flagships program. This project aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Western Australia by investigating whether carbon dioxide (CO₂) could be safely stored deep underground in the Lesueur Sandstone formation.
About the South West Hub CCS research project
Between 2011 and 2015, the South West Hub CCS research project gathered data and core samples through seismic surveys in the Harvey and Waroona Shires and stratigraphic wells in the Harvey Shire, north-west of the Harvey townsite. The Lesueur Sandstone formation, a highly saline aquifer, is closer to the surface compared to areas south of Australind and north of Pinjarra. Importantly, the Yarragadee freshwater aquifer is not present in this region.
Analysis of the data and samples, using four generations of computer modelling between 2010 and 2018, confirmed the Lesueur Sandstone’s suitability as a permanent storage reservoir for CO₂ under various scenarios. This provided confidence in meeting the project’s success criteria: injecting 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year for 30 years and ensuring it stayed within the reservoir for at least 1000 years.
Confidence in the suitability of the Lesueur Sandstone as a CO₂ storage reservoir increased following the latest modelling by Odin Reservoir Consultants. Their 2018 report, Dynamic Model of the Harvey Area, showed that the Lesueur met the project’s success criteria and that injected CO₂ stopped migrating through the formation after 500 years. This modelling was designed to guide future investment decisions about carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the South West.
Since the Lesueur's ability to store CO₂ relied on containment through residual trapping and dissolution—rather than a traditional caprock—the South West Hub has the potential to expand the number of sites worldwide that could be considered suitable for CCS projects.
Community engagement
We maintained open communication with the Harvey community, individual landholders, and major industries in the South West of Western Australia, providing these groups with an opportunity to consider CCS as part of their future carbon reduction strategies. It focused on being open, accessible, and responsive to feedback, which were key foundations of the project.
Communication tools were used to share important information about project activities with a wide range of audiences. These included children involved in the CSIRO CarbonKids Schools Program and members of the international scientific community. During the project’s active phase, the Lesueur Community Consultative Committee acted as a link between the community and the project team. Activities included open days, displays at agricultural shows, geological expos, and presentations at international CCS conferences.
Data and publications
Publications and data from GSWA and other trusted sources.
The technical data, information and modelling produced is publicly available through the Western Australian Petroleum and Geothermal Information Management System (WAPIMS) and/or the DEMIRS eBookshop.
South West Hub CCS Research Project on WAPIMS.
GSWA Webinar Series | Geology of the South West Hub CCS Research Project, Western Australia
