EMRC and Woodside Collaborate on Innovative Carbon Re-use Pilot Project

(Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) and Woodside) The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) and Woodside are collaborating on a carbon-to-products pilot project that proposes to recycle greenhouse gases into useful products.

The two parties have agreed a term sheet setting out the terms of a proposed option to lease land. The option to lease land will provide for Woodside’s use of EMRC’s Red Hill Waste Management Eco Park for a proposed pilot Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) facility, and for the supply of landfill gas by EMRC to Woodside.

The proposed CCU facility would convert greenhouse gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, into value-added ethanol, using technologies developed by US-based companies ReCarbon and LanzaTech. The pilot aims to demonstrate that the integration of these technologies has the potential to contribute to decarbonisation and a circular carbon economy.

Following execution of the option to lease, exercise of the option to lease and construction of the CCU facility is subject to a final investment decision (FID) by Woodside targeted to occur in the second half of 2022, with a targeted completion and commissioning date in the second half of 2024.

EMRC Chairman Cr Mel Congerton said: “Woodside1 and the EMRC are today jointly announcing an exciting development which aims to radically change the way we approach our aspirations of net zero emissions. It is a major step forward on the journey towards sustainable protection of the environment we all share.

“This collaboration between a regional local government and a global energy company supports the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goal 17 – ‘To strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize partnerships forsustainable development,’” he said.

EMRC CEO Marcus Geisler expressed his excitement at the development and added: “This project has the potential to shift the dial on the future treatment of greenhouse gases as a resource, rather than a challenge. It will be these kinds of powerful collaborations and innovative decarbonisation initiatives that aim to deliver significant environmental and social benefits to Perth’s Eastern Region, Western Australia and the world.

“We’re very proud to be at the forefront of this ‘carbon to products’ opportunity with Woodside, rethinking and realising the full potential and value of otherwise wasted resources. This project is another example of EMRC’s arsenal of initiatives to move towards Net Zero,” he said.

Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill welcomed the collaboration with EMRC and the shared drive to explore the potential of CCU. “Woodside believes CCU is an emerging field as customers seek lower-carbon solutions.

“Woodside’s climate strategy has two key elements: reducing our net equity Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and investing in the products and services that our customers need as they too reduce their emissions.

“CCU has the potential to contribute to both elements of our climate strategy.

“To have a pilot CCU facility right here in Western Australia, where Woodside has pioneered other technologies, is also very exciting,” she said.

About EMRC
Founded in 1983, the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) is a progressive and innovative regional local government working on behalf of five member Councils located in Perth's Eastern Region: Town of Bassendean, City of Bayswater, City of Kalamunda, Shire of Mundaring and City of Swan. The Region covers a third of Perth’s metropolitan area and is home to 338,000 people.

The EMRC provides a broad range of services across the region including waste management and education, resource recovery, natural and urban environmental management and regional development. Working in partnership with its member Councils and other stakeholders, the EMRC delivers local and regional scale projects across each of these areas for the benefit of the region. For more visit www.emrc.org.au

About Woodside
We provide energy which Australia and the world needs to heat homes, keep lights on and enable industry. We have a reputation for safe and reliable operations. Our hydrocarbon business is complemented by a growing portfolio of hydrogen, ammonia and solar opportunities in Australia and internationally. Our new energy opportunities include the proposed hydrogen and ammonia projects H2Perth and H2TAS in Australia and the proposed hydrogen project H2OK in North America. For more visit woodside.com.au.

About the Red Hill Waste Management Eco Park
This facility is located about 12 kilometres north-east of Midland, on the south side of Toodyay Road and east of the Darling escarpment. The waste facility uses modern techniques and principles of sanitary landfill design and operation, including leachate collection and methane gas capture. It also has recycling facilities to divert items from going to landfill.

The Red Hill Waste Management Facility is operated by the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council on behalf of five member Councils; Town of Bassendean, City of Bayswater, City of Kalamunda, Shire of Mundaring, and The City of Swan.

About Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
Carbon dioxide capture and utilisation (CCU) refers to a process in which CO2 is captured and the carbon is then used in a product. The climate effect of CCU depends on the product lifetime, the product it displaces, and the CO2 source (fossil, biomass or atmosphere). CCU is sometimes referred to as Carbon Dioxide Capture and Use, or Carbon Capture and Utilisation2

1 Woodside aspiration of net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. Target is for net equity Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, relative to a starting base of the gross annual average equity Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions over 2016-2020 and may be adjusted (up or down) for potential equity changes in producing or sanctioned assets with an FID prior to 2021. Post-completion of the Woodside and BHP petroleum merger (which remains subject to conditions including regulatory approvals), the starting base will be adjusted for the then combined Woodside and BHP petroleum portfolio.

2 M. Pathak, R. Slade, P.R. Shukla, J. Skea, R. Pichs-Madruga, D. Ürge-Vorsatz,2022: Technical Summary. In: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [P.R. Shukla, J. Skea, R. Slade, A. Al Khourdajie, R. van Diemen, D. McCollum, M. Pathak, S. Some, P. Vyas, R. Fradera, M. Belkacemi, A. Hasija, G. Lisboa, S. Luz, J. Malley, (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA. doi: 10.1017/9781009157926.002 READ MORE