APPEA: net zero agenda needs gas

AUSTRALIA must not miss out on the global rush to carbon capture projects, the head of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association warns, saying they are crucial to meeting net-zero emissions targets

APPEA chief executive Samantha McCulloch, who joined the organisation from running carbon capture, utilisation and storage at the International Energy Agency, also says natural gas will fuel emission reduction strategies.

Ms McCulloch’s comments put her at odds with her previous employer, the IEA, which has declared that “no new oil and natural gas fields are needed in the net-zero pathway”.

It comes as the Albanese government has extended the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism from its expiry date next January until 2030. Combined with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects, Ms McCulloch said natural gas would create a greener future.

“The world is pushing ahead with a number of CCUS projects, and Australia must not miss this opportunity,” Ms McCulloch said.

“CCUS is a subject I am very familiar with, having recently concluded a role in Paris as head of the IEA’s CCUS team. It’s the same body that declared in a report last year that the world does not need new supplies of oil and gas – the very thing I am calling for today.

“In every scenario outlined by the IEA, natural gas has a critical role to play – in Asia through coal-to-gas switching, CCUS, hydrogen production, supporting renewables, and the rise of low-carbon gases. The IEA says each country will chart its own path to net zero and Australia’s role in a cleaner energy future is global – as shown through the importance of our LNG exports to shift Asian nations off dirtier fuels.”

Carbon capture projects in Australia have gained little momentum but Ms McCulloch said it was now time for the rubber to hit the road.

“Without CCUS, we have limited or no solutions for tackling emissions from heavy industry sectors,” she said.