The future looks green for South Australia

South Austrlia had a big 2021 with the rise of CCS and hydrogen projects.

The last year has seen some exciting developments in the pipeline and gas sectors, particularly in South Australia, in terms of carbon capture and storage and green hydrogen developments.

In November 2021, Santos and joint venture partner Beach Energy announced a final investment decision to proceed with the $220 million Moomba carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in South Australia, with start-up expected in 2024. The joint venture successfully registered the Moomba project with the Clean Energy Regulator.

Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) has also been making significant headway in upgrading South Australia’s gas network to prepare it for the future deployment of hydrogen gas.

The South Australian Government is progressing front-end engineering design (FEED) studies for green hydrogen pilot projects around the state. The SA Government and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) study to investigate the feasibility of exporting green hydrogen made in SA to Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port.

The government and Trafigura have also invested $2.5 million each in a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a planned $750 million green hydrogen project. Here are the recent highlights for the region.

Santos books 100m tonnes CO2 storage

Santos has announced the booking of a 100 million tonne carbon dioxide (CO2) storage facility in the Cooper Basin, South Australia, to further its mission towards net zero emissions.

This resource is a subset of the total prospective storage in the basin and follows the final investment decision (FID) on the 1.7 million tonnes per annum (tpa) Moomba CCS project in November 2021.

Santos managing director and chief executive Kevin Gallagher said the announcement is a final step in the company’s decarbonisation pathway and carbon storage hub strategy.

“CCS is a critical technology to achieve the world’s emission reduction goals and we only have to look at current carbon prices to see how valuable 100 million t of storage is,” said Gallagher.

“This globally significant carbon storage capacity booking is another tangible example of Santos leading the way in establishing the foundations to support the energy transition.”

New gas mains for Adelaide CBD

AGIG and APA have completed 50 km of mains replacements in the City of Adelaide.

According to AGIG, works were delivered ahead of time, below budget and with no material safety incidents onsite. “This is not only a significant service outcome for our customers, but it means our networks are capable of delivering 100 per cent carbon-free hydrogen to our customers into the future,” an AGIG spokesperson said.

In 2021, the Australian Gas Network (AGN) – a part of AGIG – released its draft plan for the South Australian gas distribution network between 2021 and 2026.

In the plan, AGIG stated that Adelaide CBD mains replacements were on track for completion, which will see all high-risk mains replaced by the end of the current access arrangement period. In the specified period, AGIG will deliver over 1,000 km of replacement of ageing mansion order to improve cost efficiency and safety.

FEED to commence for Port Pirie

The South Australian Government and top trading company Trafigura have invested $2.5 million each in a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a planned $750 million green hydrogen project.

The $5 million in joint funding from the Marshall Government and Trafigura will be used to advance the FEED study for the planned green hydrogen facility in Port Pirie.

If approved, the Port Pirie Green Hydrogen Project is expected to cost $750 million from design through to construction.

“This $750 million project is part of the ongoing transformation of South Australia into a producer of green hydrogen of global significance based on our outstanding renewable energy resources,” said South Australian Premier Stephen Marshall.

“My government has dialled up the state’s intention to lead the way by achieving net-100 per cent renewables by 2030 and a 50 per cent cut to emission by 2030.” FEED will commence immediately on the study, with a final investment decision (FID) expected for the end of 2022.

New pipelines for Willaston and Willamulka

SA Water is commencing installation of two new water mains in South Australia as part of the utility’s $155 million four-year water main management program. This includes 410 m of new water main installed at Willaston and 370 m of new main at Willamulka on the Yorke Peninsula.

The Willaston pipe is being laid beneath Right Street and Paxton Street, and is among 47,000 m of water mains going in the ground for SA Water customers across regional South Australia over the coming year. The Willamulka pipeline will be laid beneath Wembley Boundary Road.

Both projects will use PVC pipe, which is renowned for its chemically inert properties and its resistance to soil movement. SA Water general manager Amanda Lewry said the utility is proud to extend the life of the networks for another 100 years.

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