For the first time, the Australian government has approved an offshore saline aquifer storage site for greenhouse gases.

According to a press statement from Japan’s INPEX CORPORATION, the approval relates to the Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture operated by its subsidiary INPEX Browse E&P Pty Ltd in partnership with TotalEnergies CCS Australia Pty Ltd and Woodside Energy Ltd. The approval rubber stamps a potential storage site around 260 kilometers from Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. The site was assessed by the Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture for GHG injection and storage operations and represents a significant milestone in the continued advancement of the project.

In fact, the approval builds on recognition of the Bonaparte CCS Project as the first Australian offshore CCS project to receive Major Project Status from the Australian Government in 2025. Pre-front-end engineering and design commenced in April 2025. First carbon dioxide (CO₂) injection is targeted for the early 2030s subject to regulatory approvals and commercial agreements.

The Ichthys Joint Venture is expected to be the project’s anchor customer. CO₂ emissions from the source are expected to decrease by around 40 percent, contributing to the decarbonisation targets articulated in INPEX Vision 2035.

For the foreseeable future, INPEX will work closely with the Australian federal government, the Northern Territory government and local communities, as well as other stakeholders, to support the advancement of the project.

INPEX is Japan’s largest exploration and production (E&P) company, engaged in the development and operation of oil and gas projects worldwide.