Santos Says Moomba CCS Delivering Emissions Reduction at Scale

Why It Matters

The rapid emissions reduction validates CCS at scale, unlocking carbon‑credit revenue and attracting global industrial partners while advancing Australia’s climate‑policy objectives.

Key Takeaways

• 2 Mt CO2e captured in 18 months, 826k cars removed
• Moomba stores up to 1.7 Mt CO2 yearly; 14 Mt goal 2040
• Earned 1.19 M Australian Carbon Credit Units to date
• Partnerships with Japan, APA, Abu Dhabi expand pipeline potential

Pulse Analysis

The Moomba Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility marks Australia’s first large‑scale on‑shore hub for permanently sequestering industrial CO₂. Since commencing operations in October 2024, the plant has already captured roughly 2 million metric tons of CO₂‑equivalent—an amount comparable to removing 826,000 gasoline‑powered cars from the road. Designed to inject captured gas into depleted reservoirs beneath the Cooper and Eromanga basins, Moomba can accommodate up to 1.7 million tons per year, positioning the country as a potential regional carbon‑storage powerhouse.

The rapid uptake of carbon credits underscores the project's commercial viability. Santos has accumulated more than 1.19 million Australian Carbon Credit Units, translating into a tangible revenue stream while helping the company meet its 2030 Scope 1‑2 emissions target five years ahead of schedule. Strategic memoranda with Japan’s JX Nippon Oil & Gas, ENEOS, and domestic partners such as APA Group broaden the market for both imported CO₂ and downstream low‑carbon fuels like e‑methane. These alliances also lay the groundwork for pipeline networks linking major emitters in Gladstone, Port Bonython and Greater Sydney to Moomba.

Looking forward, Santos aims to expand Moomba’s capacity to 14 million tons of third‑party CO₂ per annum by 2040, leveraging its extensive acreage in the Cooper/Eromanga basins. If realized, the hub could support a suite of hard‑to‑abate sectors—including steel, cement and hydrogen—while attracting international investment and skilled jobs. However, scaling will depend on regulatory certainty, cost‑competitiveness of capture technologies, and the ability to transport CO₂ across long distances. Success would cement Australia’s role in the global CCS value chain and provide a replicable model for other resource‑rich economies.