Energy

About Australia’s CCS legislation framework

A sound, guiding regulatory framework for carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) is required to underpin development and operation of industrial scale CCS projects in Australia.

Under Australia’s federal system of government, legislation to enable CCS activities in Commonwealth offshore waters has been developed by the Australian Government. Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have also developed CCS legislations to enable CCS activities in their jurisdictions. Legislation is currently being developed by New South Wales and Western Australia.

CCS regulatory frameworks are being developed on a nationally-consistent basis under guiding principles endorsed in 2005 by all Australian jurisdictions—the Regulatory Guiding Principles for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geological Storage (see Related documents).

About Australian Government CCS legislation and regulations

To facilitate sound regulation of pipeline transportation and injection and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) and potentially other greenhouse gases in geological formations in offshore areas, the Australian Government has put in place:

• the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006
• supporting Regulations
• guidelines and explanatory material.

See Related documents for key references.

The Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Storage Act 2006 aims to provide project developers with the certainty required to commit to major low emission energy projects involving CCS. It also allows for the establishment of an effective regulatory framework to ensure that projects meet health, safety and environmental requirements.

Major features of the legislation include:

• the provision of access and property rights through a title system similar to that used for petroleum
• ensuring safe and secure storage
• mechanisms for managing interactions with the petroleum industry
• site closure and the treatment of long term liability.

It received royal assent on 21 November 2008.

The Australian Government’s approach to providing access and property rights and regulatory oversight for CCS activities has been by way of amendments to the Commonwealth offshore petroleum legislation.

This approach was chosen because of the similarities between the petroleum and CCS industries and the need to manage the potentially complex interactions between them.

Legislation

Related documents

More information

For more information about Australian Government CCS legislation and regulations contact:

Peter van Rens
Manager, Domestic CCS Policy and Legislation
Clean Energy and Environment Division
Phone: (02) 6213 7189
Email: peter.vanrens@ret.gov.au