An energy legislation amendment bill is up for debate in Western Australia, the bill seeks to lay down rules for transport and storage of greenhouse gas in pipelines and the ground.

The WA Government wants to create regulations where currently there are none, hoping to control the emerging need to deal with vast amounts of recaptured greenhouses gases.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the process of capturing CO2 from emission sources such as fossil fuel-fired power stations, oil and natural gas processing, cement manufacture, iron and steel manufacture and the petrochemical industry, transporting it and storing it so that it is prevented from entering the atmosphere.

Just one project in the whole of WA has had any regulations on its CCS efforts imposed – the Gorgon Gas Project, which is regulated via the Barrow Island Act 2003 State Agreement.

The new Bill hopes to provide a legal framework for greenhouse gas capture and storage projects, such as the South West Hub, to proceed. It will also make other minor and related amendments to extend various existing provisions to include geological storage of greenhouse gas (GHG) substances.

The Bill will establish a number of greenhouse gas titles and licensing, including a GHG exploration permit and a GHG injection licence.

A GHG exploration permit will authorise the holder to explore for potential GHG storage formation or GHG injection sites. A GHG injection licence will then permit the holder to carry out operations for the injection and permanent storage of greenhouse gas in the licence area.

Other amendments include the adding of provisions for transporting GHGs through pipelines and other methods.

Many changes are taken from the framework of the broader petroleum and resources industries, including providing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum with the power to enter private land and provide compensation rights to affected landowners and people with an interest in the land impacted by GHG exploration and operations.

The Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 to amend the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967 is available for public consultation from the WA Government’s website.