A carbon capture project planned for the Surat Basin has been rejected by the Queensland Government after a three-year assessment process.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation determined the CTSCo Surat Basin Carbon Capture and Storage Project would impact on groundwater resources in the Great Artesian Basin.
The Department’s assessment found that Precipice Sandstone aquifer in the Great Artesian Basin, where the project had proposed to inject captured CO2 for storage, was not a confined aquifer, which was a strict requirement of the regulation.
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”.
“This includes potential increased concentrations of contaminants including chloride, sulphate, salinity, various metals, and metalloids (including lead and arsenic),” the Department said in a statement.
The final assessment report for the EIS is available online.
