In brief
Australia’s government on 5 November 2026 approved a 120‑kilometre‑south‑east of Perth seabed site for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to store carbon dioxide pumped into an offshore salt cavern. The project is a key step toward the 2050 net‑zero goal and is projected to create up to 4,000 jobs over the next decade.
Australia announced on 5 November 2026 that it has approved a tract of seabed off the coast of Western Australia for a Chinese company to store carbon dioxide. The site, located about 120 kilometres south‑east of Perth, will host a deep‑sea carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Japanese manufacturer of industrial equipment.
Under the agreement, Mitsubishi will transport CO₂ from its industrial plants to a pipeline that will deliver the gas to the seabed where it will be injected into a natural salt cavern two miles below the surface. The cavern was identified during a 2021 Australian government audit of potential offshore storage sites and is considered safe for long‑term storage.
Dan Collins, a senior adviser on climate policy for the Australian Department of Climate Change, said the deal would generate up to 4,000 jobs over the next decade and boost the country’s reputation as a leader in clean‑energy technology. “It shows that Australia can work with partners abroad to tackle carbon emissions while creating new business opportunities,” Collins said. “The technology is mature, and this is the first step in a broader approach to onshore and offshore storage.”
The project is part of Australia’s national strategy to reduce climate change risks and support the country’s 2050 net‑zero emissions target. Japan’s heavy‑industry sector is one of the largest emitters of CO₂ globally, and the partnership is expected to help both countries reduce their carbon footprints and demonstrate the viability of offshore CCS as part of a broader decarbonisation strategy.
