Australia investigates methane emissions at Chevron’s Gorgon project — ABC News Australia

Western Australia’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has launched an investigation into repeated large methane emissions recorded over Chevron’s Gorgon gas complex on Barrow Island. As ABC News Australia reports, the agency had previously been unable to determine unequivocally whether it had jurisdiction over these emissions.

A state government spokesperson said that DWER is working to establish the cause of the emissions and is in contact with Chevron to determine an appropriate response. According to the spokesperson, it would be inappropriate to speculate before the investigation is completed.

Satellite data

Since November last year, the UN-linked Tanager-1 satellite has recorded large methane plumes over the industrial complex during five consecutive flyovers. The latest published observation indicated an emission rate of 7.8 tonnes of methane per hour near Gorgon’s acid gas treatment facilities. By this measure, the complex became Western Australia’s largest source of methane emissions.

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The UN warned Chevron about these emissions in July last year and in August this year. The company did not formally respond to the warnings, but told ABC News Australia that it was corresponding with the UN regarding its data. Chevron declined to comment on the state investigation.

Federal government’s position

Australia’s federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said during Senate hearings that oversight of such emissions falls within the authority of the state regulator. Independent Senator David Pocock questioned the lack of federal government involvement in a situation involving large unexplained emissions.

The Gorgon plant is among Australia’s largest, with a capacity of 15.6 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year across three processing lines. Methane is a far more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and, according to data cited in the report, is responsible for about a quarter of global warming.