Developing the world’s largest CO2 Injection System – a history of the Gorgon Carbon Dioxide Injection System

Abstract

The Gorgon CO2 Injection System is a key element of the Gorgon LNG Project on Barrow Island. Two gas fields currently supply the LNG plant including the Gorgon Field, which contain c. 14% CO2 content. Rather than vent the separated reservoir CO2 into the atmosphere, the Gorgon JVPs undertook to develop the CO2 Injection System, which was designed and constructed to inject around 3.5 million tonnes per annum into the Dupuy Formation, a Jurassic sandstone unit below Barrow Island in the Barrow Sub-basin. Chevron Australia Pty Ltd (Chevron), as operator on behalf of the Gorgon joint venture participants, has been working on the development of the project, through early concept select, appraisal, final concept selection, detailed design, construction, commissioning and now early operations. This work commenced in 2003, with project approvals in 2009. Since then, 17 wells have been drilled, pipelines and compression facilities constructed and installed, baseline monitoring data acquired, and injection operation has commenced. It is expected that the Gorgon CO2 Injection System will have a 40-plus year lifespan. The volume and rate of CO2 injection makes it the largest CO2 injection project for geological storage undertaken to date. Early results indicate that the injectivity is better than originally forecast. Chevron and the Gorgon joint venture participants will continue to monitor performance against expectations and revise assumptions, models and forecasts over time.