Ichthys LNG AGRU Upgrades and CCS Preparedness Project

Proponent: INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd (INPEX)

Overview

The proposal is for stage 1 of development of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) compression and export system at Bladin Point. Works proposed in stage 1 include site-preparation, construction (including civil works, piling, drainage installation), and installation, pre-commissioning and cold commissioning of:

• modularised equipment to upgrade the 2 existing acid gas removal units (AGRUs)
• CO₂ compressor modules (including auxiliary vents)
• an in-plant section of CO₂ export pipeline, export metering, and pipeline inspection gauge launcher
• a modular building with combined electrical and control equipment to power and control the new facilities
• a common dehydration module
• a water treatment system/s, including water tanks, to treat and re-use water recovered from the CO₂ stream
• supplementary power infrastructure (i.e. a small battery energy storage system, electrical power distribution system and cabling).

Once cold commissioning has been performed, the new CO₂ compression and export system equipment and infrastructure would remain in place, preserved until such time it could be connected to future offsite carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure.

Hot commissioning and operation of facilities will be subject to future referrals and are outside the scope of this proposal.

The proposal is associated with other carbon capture and storage (CCS) proposals being:

• INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd - Ichthys Carbon Capture and Storage Project
• INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd - Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage Project

While each proposal is being assessed separately under the Environment Protection Act 2019 the NT EPA will consider direct, indirect and cumulative environmental impacts across all 3 proposals. As such, it is proposed to align the timing of the assessment process for the 3 proposals where possible.

Stakeholders will be able to participate in the assessment process by providing comments on either (i) each of the proposals individually, or (ii) via a single submission addressing all 3 proposals.

Figure 1: INPEX associated carbon capture and storage proposals

Expanded figure 1 - INPEX associated carbon capture and storage proposals PDF (641.5 KB)

Note: the Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage Project assessment under the Environment Protection Act extends to the NT coastal waters limit.

Stage 1: Referral

NT EPA notices

• Direction to provide additional information EP Regulation 40 PDF (444.3 KB) - 3 October 2025
• Notice of Decision to accept referral for standard assessment PDF (1.3 MB) - 18 November 2025
• Notice of decision and statement of reasons – assessment by EIS PDF (136.8 KB) - 10 March 2026

Documents

Public consultation

The NT EPA published a statutory notice on 25 November 2025 to invite public comment on the referral for standard assessment submitted by INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd for the Ichthys LNG AGRU upgrades and CCS preparedness project located in Bladin Point in the Greater Darwin area.

Interested persons were invited to make a submission by 23 December 2025. The NT EPA published the notice in accordance with regulation 52(1) of the Environment Protection Regulations 2020.

The following submissions are published in accordance with regulation 267 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2020.

Stage 2: Assessment

Assessment by Environmental Impact Statement

NT EPA notices

• Notice of decision – approve the terms of reference for an EIS EP2025/045 PDF (79.6 KB) - 3 July 2026

Draft terms of reference

Documents

Public consultation

The NT EPA published a statutory notice on 22 May 2026 to invite public comment on the draft terms of reference for the INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd (INPEX) proposal for the Ichthys LNG AGRU Upgrades and CCS Preparedness Project.

Interested persons were invited to make a submission by 15 June 2026. The NT EPA published the notice in accordance with regulation 102 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2020.

The following submissions are published in accordance with regulation 267 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2020.

Terms of reference