Pursuing Cross-Border Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Projects... Korea CCUS Promotion Team Holds Seminar in Australia

Korea-Australia Hydrogen and CCUS Business Seminar

Participation in the 32nd Korea-Australia Energy Resources Cooperation Committee Meeting

A joint seminar was held between Korean and Australian specialized institutions and organizations pursuing technologies for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and hydrogen-related businesses.

The Korea CCUS Promotion Group (co-chair Kim Dong-seop, Korea National Oil Corporation) announced on the 2nd that it held the 'Korea-Australia CCUS and Hydrogen Business Seminar' in Sydney, Australia, on October 30.

This business seminar was organized as a linked event of the 'Korea-Australia Energy and Mineral Resources Cooperation Committee,' an official cooperation channel between the two countries in the energy and mineral resources sector that has continued since 1980. The event was hosted by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and co-organized by the Promotion Group and H2KOREA.

At the Korea-Australia CCUS and Hydrogen Business Seminar, Lee Ho-hyun, Director of the Energy Policy Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, along with representatives from domestic companies, are attending to discuss future cooperation plans.

The event was attended by Lee Ho-hyun, Director of Energy Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kwon Yi-gyun, head of the Promotion Group, Lee Hye-jin, Director of Clean Hydrogen Certification at H2KOREA, among others.

Additionally, Korean companies such as SK E&S, GS Caltex, CARBONCO, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Samsung C&T Construction Division, and Samsung Engineering participated alongside Australian companies including CO2CRC, CarbonNet, Santos, Woodside Energy, Oakajee Energy, and Pilot Energy to share progress on CCUS and hydrogen-related projects in both countries and to sign MOUs among participating companies.

A total of five MOUs related to cooperation in the CCUS and hydrogen sectors were signed, including a CCS cooperation MOU between the Korea CCUS Promotion Group and Australia's CarbonNet.

Through the MOU with CarbonNet, the Promotion Group will jointly explore opportunities for participation of Korean private and public sectors in the CarbonNet project and conduct joint research on CCS acceptance and education.

Furthermore, they plan to develop opportunities and platforms to share best practices, knowledge, and innovations of the Korean and CarbonNet projects; operate mutual human resource exchange programs to promote capacity building in CCS-related fields; and continue to foster international public, private, and research cooperation for the advancement of global CCS solutions.

Following the MOU signing, at the 32nd Korea-Australia Energy and Mineral Resources Cooperation Committee held on October 31, hosted by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the Promotion Group presented the status of Korea's CCUS promotion and engaged in in-depth discussions on enhanced cooperation measures between the two countries.

The Promotion Group delegation spent the 11th visiting CCS project sites operating in Australia to understand the current status related to project design and operation.

They also had opportunities to discuss technical matters with Australia's advanced technical experts that could be reflected or considered in the design of CCS demonstration projects planned in Korea.

Key guests attending the Korea-Netherlands CCUS and Hydrogen Business Seminar are taking a commemorative photo.

The Korea-Australia Energy and Mineral Resources Cooperation Committee has been the official cooperation channel maintaining bilateral collaboration in the energy and mineral resources sectors since 1980.

At this meeting, both countries agreed on the necessity of jointly establishing regulations related to cross-border transportation of carbon dioxide for practical cross-border CCS promotion, as well as agreeing on certification and approval procedures for projects.

The formal bilateral agreement for full-scale cross-border CCS promotion is expected to commence after the completion of the ratification of the London Protocol amendment bill and the enactment of CCS-related laws in Australia. However, both countries agreed to expedite related details through the cooperative framework they have built.

This achievement marks a significant step forward following the 31st meeting held last year, where the Korean government urged the Australian government to deposit the London Protocol amendment. Currently, the Australian government introduced the bill related to the ratification of the London Protocol amendment in March and is proceeding with the process.