The Department of Primary Industries has conducted an airborne gravity survey along the Victorian Gippsland coast as part of ongoing research into the viability of a large-scale carbon capture and storage facility in Victoria.

 

State Minister for Energy and Resources Michael O'Brien said that the aerial survey will contribute to the work of the CarbonNet Project which is investigating the potential of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from electricity generators and transporting it to storage sites in the Gippsland Basin.

 

The survey is a cooperative venture between the Victorian and Australian Governments under the Australian Government's CCS Flagships program, which has provided funding for the pre-feasibility stage of the CarbonNet project.

 

"While the CarbonNet Project is only in the feasibility phase, it will demonstrate that this technology can work on a large scale," Mr O'Brien said.

 

"If successful, the CarbonNet Project could lead to a commercial-scale Australian carbon capture, transportation and storage system, enabling a dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions from electricity generation in Victoria.

 

The airborne gravity survey will help DPI develop a better understanding of the geological carbon storage potential of the nearshore Gippsland Basin.