The Bonaparte CCS Joint Venture has started front-end engineering design (FEED) on the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage Project, about 250 km offshore Darwin, Australia. As the project moves into FEED, INPEX will acquire the 21% interest held by Woodside Energy, lifting its own share from 53% to 74%.
The joint venture is operated by INPEX Browse. TotalEnergies CCS Australia holds 26%. The group was formed in 2022 to appraise greenhouse gas storage acreage, title G-7-AP.
Ownership change
INPEX Browse E&P Pty Ltd is transferring its interest to a newly formed entity, INPEX Bonaparte CCS Pty Ltd. That entity has signed an agreement with Woodside Energy Ltd to acquire Woodside's 21% participating interest. Both acquisitions depend on conditions being met, including approval from Australian government regulatory agencies. INPEX, as operator, thanked Woodside for its contribution during the assessment phase.
Project status and capacity
Subject to regulatory approvals, the project has potential storage capacity of up to 443 million tonnes of CO2 over its life. It became the first offshore CCS project to receive Major Project Status from the Australian Government, in mid-2025, and it also received Declaration of Identified Greenhouse Gas Storage Formation approval in October 2026. First CO2 injection is targeted for the early 2030s, subject to regulatory approvals and commercial agreements.
The Ichthys Joint Venture is expected to be the anchor customer. INPEX says the project could cut CO2 emissions from Ichthys LNG by around 40%.
INPEX Managing Director and Country Chair Australia Tetsu Murayama said the appraisal results "are outstanding and have exceeded our expectations." He called FEED entry a significant milestone toward a final investment decision.
