Santos Announces Battery Project for Darwin LNG

Australian Santos May 29 announced the launch of a battery project for Darwin LNG which it said will reduce power generation carbon emissions by 20%, as well as cut fuel gas consumption and operating costs.

According to the company, the project is a world first for an LNG plant, and involves the integration of battery technology with existing power generation turbines so they run more efficiently.

“This will not only result in a significant cut in carbon emissions, but also a reduction in costs by saving on fuel use and maintenance. The project will now move into the front-end engineering and design phase of development, and is targeting completion by the middle of next year,” Santos said.

Santos Managing CEO Kevin Gallagher said Santos is committed to working with its joint venture partners towards a lower carbon future.

"This is the latest of a number of carbon reduction actions we are taking across the company, and not the first time we are employing battery technology," Gallagher said. Santos is also converting oil well beam pumps to solar and batteries in the Cooper Basin, as well as testing the potential for carbon capture, utilisation and storage, also in the Cooper, he added.

Santos is also working on solar installations across its operations, including at Port Bonython in South Australia.

"In Western Australia, we're replacing existing power generation turbines at our Devil Creek plant with higher fuel efficiency ones – not only reducing emissions by more than 25% but also generating carbon credit units as a registered project with the Emission Reduction Fund," Gallagher said. "These initiatives are steps along the way to achieving our goal of net zero emissions by 2050."

"As well as cutting our carbon footprint, the Darwin LNG battery project – as with our solar and battery project in the Cooper – cuts costs and means we can sell more gas," Gallagher said.

Santos has an 11.5% share in Darwin LNG, which is operated by ConocoPhillips.