Proposed carbon capture project to pump liquid carbon dioxide into Great Artesian Basin stopped after local government lobbying

Leaders across southwest Queensland have let out a sigh of relief after a plan to capture and store carbon dioxide in the Great Artesian Basin was deemed ‘not suitable to proceed’, however the company behind the proposal said the decision might come at an unexpected cost.

After months of lobbying and legal action, a proposal for a carbon capture and storage project in the Great Artesian Basin has been annulled by the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.

The project, proposed by Swiss mining giant Glencore, would have seen 330,000 tonnes of liquid carbon dioxide pumped into the GAB.

In 2022, the project got the green light from the federal environment minister, but has since faced opposition from peak representative bodies and local leaders alike.

Local council leaders from across Queensland joined together in their objection to the project, and the peak representative organisation for rural producers, AgForce, commenced legal proceedings against the environment minister.

A project to capture and store carbon dioxide in the Great Artesian Basin has been stopped.

On May 24, 2024, the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation deemed the project “not suitable to proceed”.

The department said a rigorous environmental impact assessment found the project might impact groundwater resources.

“The assessment found that the Precipice Sandstone aquifer in the Great Artesian Basin, where the project had proposed to inject captured CO2 for storage, is not a confined aquifer, which is a strict requirement of the regulation,” the department said.

“The assessment also found that CO2 injected into the aquifer could migrate, likely causing irreversible or long-term change to groundwater quality and environmental values if the project were to proceed.

“This includes potential increased concentrations of contaminants including chloride, sulfate, salinity, various metals, and metalloids (including lead and arsenic).”

While local leaders are taking this as a win, AgForce said the fight isn’t over yet.

Murweh Shire mayor Shaun Radnedge fought long and hard to advocate for the region, which relies on the Great Artesian Basin for water security.

“What a tremendous win for our communities today. Thank you to the Queensland Premier Steven Miles, for listening to us and making this decision,” Mr Radnedge said.

“This kind of action should never be permitted. Most of Queensland depends on this basin in one way or another, and we cannot let a coal mine pump its waste into our water.

“For farmers, this could have had serious consequences, which would affect our entire state. It’s simply not worth the risk.

“I would like to thank the other councils for joining us in this effort and for the support we received from the LGAQ, QFF, and AgForce, who have been tremendous in helping us get this issue in front of the right people.

“We have an obligation to protect our communities. This should never have been allowed in the first place. We need to put measures in place so things like this don’t ever happen again.”

Acting mayor of the Maranoa region Cameron O’Neil said the decision was a win for the community.

“Maranoa’s residents, local businesses and the agricultural economy all depend on the Great Artesian Basin as a vital asset,” Mr O’Neil said.

Acting mayor of the Maranoa region, Cameron O'Neil, congratulated the state government for listening to the concerns of western Queenslanders.

“We joined the Western Queensland Councils to unanimously and loudly oppose this experiment, and congratulate the Queensland Government on listening to those who stood to be irreparably affected.

“It’s an important reminder to George Street to listen to us when we speak on important regional issues.”

Balonne Shire mayor Samantha O’Toole also supported the decision.

“This decision is a great relief to our community and everyone that relies on the Great Artesian Basin as a source of clean water for drinking and agricultural production”, Ms O’Toole said.

“The Great Artesian Basin is the lifeblood of rural and regional communities and deserves protection from risky industrial waste dumping schemes.

“We fully support calls from the Local Government Association of Queensland for a moratorium to stop any future similar proposals that have the potential to negatively impact the Great Artesian Basin and the communities that rely on it.

“Our environmental regulations have clearly been applied correctly in this instance, however our communities deserve to know that a risky proposal like this will never have the chance to even be considered ever again.”

While the local leaders rejoice in the success of their lobbying, AgForce said the Great Artesian Basin was not yet out of harm’s way.

AgForce chief executive Michael Guerin said while this was a win, AgForce would continue to pursue legal action in order to spur a judicial review of the original decision.

“So, while we celebrate this state government decision, our thoughts now immediately go to how to best protect the GAB into the future from such environmental threats,” Mr Guerin said.

“Protecting it properly can only be achieved through more robust Federal Policy, with the current review of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) a critical component of that.

“Should the federal minister for the environment call the application back in to be reassessed, we would gladly acknowledge her leadership in protecting one of the natural wonders of the world. Otherwise, we remain on track for the Federal Court on August 1 to seek a judicial review of that February 9, 2022, decision.

“In our view, that judicial review is critical to the future of the Great Artesian Basin and all that rely on it”.

AgForce CEO Michael Guerin.

However, a Glencore spokesman said the refusal to allow the project might end up costing Queenslanders more than they bargained for.

“This decision is disappointing and comes after a damaging misinformation campaign and political opportunism by multiple players,” the spokesman said.

“The CTSCo Project was a test case for carbon capture and storage in Queensland and today’s decision highlights the Queensland government’s failure to reconcile conflicting legislative provisions to enable CCS projects in Queensland.”

The spokesman said the decision was effectively a ban on carbon capture and storage projects in Queensland, which was at odds with the federal government’s support for CCS projects.

“If CCS is not available as an abatement option for industry it will have far-reaching ramifications for the resources sector which provides jobs for thousands of Queenslanders and is the cornerstone of the state economy,” he said.

“It’s now up to the Queensland government to explain how it’s going to meet its ambitious emissions reduction targets in the absence of CCS technology for heavy industry – and ultimately, how much more that is going to cost every Queenslander.

“CCS uses proven technology and is in operation elsewhere in Australia and around the world today.

“Glencore will continue to consider opportunities for investing in CCS as a low emission technology which both the UNFCCC and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have indicated will be critical if the world is to achieve its climate change goals.”

Originally published as Proposed carbon capture project to pump liquid carbon dioxide into Great Artesian Basin stopped after local government lobbying