PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Oil and gas major Santos will introduce solar panels to help power its Port Bonython processing plant, in South Australia.
The ASX-listed company told shareholders that the 2.12MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system would generate more than 2 GWh of emissions-free energy a year, which represents over 6% of electricity used at the plant.
Santos MD and CEO Kevin Gallagher said Santos now had a proven track record of integrating renewable energy into existing operations.
“This solar installation at Port Bonython is our biggest demonstration yet of how we can work with renewables to not only reduce our carbon emissions but to also free up more gas for the domestic markets.
“As a large industrial user of electricity, we’re also doing our bit to reduce the burden on the grid by generating new supply.”
Santos is investing in carbon reduction across its assets, including converting oil beam pumps in the Cooper Basin to solar and batteries.
“We are also investing A$10-million to test the potential for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the Cooper Basin,” Gallagher said.
“Last month Santos announced the launch of a battery project for Darwin liquefied natural gas (LNG), operated by ConocoPhillips, which will reduce carbon emissions from power generation by 20% as well as cut fuel gas consumption and operating costs.
“In Western Australia, we’re replacing existing power generation turbines at our Devil Creek plant with more fuel-efficient ones, not only reducing emissions by more than 25% but also generating Australian Carbon Credit Units as a registered project with the Emissions Reduction Fund.
“These initiatives are steps along the way to achieving our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” Gallagher said.
Port Bonython is on the western shore of the Spencer Gulf, and processes natural gas liquids and crude oil piped from the Moomba plant for export.