In August, the Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Kim Carr announced the successful applicants of the 11th Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) Program selection round.

Ten CRCs were provided funding including $20 million for the Co-operative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies and $17.5 million to establish the Energy Pipelines CRC.

The Australian Pipeline Industry Association (APIA) said that the approvals support the key role of gas as a primary energy source in Australia’s carbon-constrained future, and will ensure the continued safe and cost effective operation of Australia’s gas network.

In addition, the Western Australian Government will fund an alliance between Western Australia Energy Research Alliance (WA:ERA) and international geophysical company CGG Veritas.

CCS funding extended

The Government’s funding of the CO2CRC will allow the centre to continue carbon capture and storage research until 2015.

Chief Executive of CO2CRC Dr Peter Cook said “The decision allows us to maintain the highly successful multi-disciplinary research teams we have assembled to accelerate deployment of CCS technology and further strengthen our international CCS connections.

He added that the extended funding will allow the centre to further capitalise on the three demonstration projects currently in operation: the CO2CRC Otway Project, the HRL/CO2CRC Mulgrave Capture Project and the CO2CRC H3 Capture Project.

New Energy Pipeline Research Centre

APIA has described the Government’s funding of a new Energy Pipelines CRC as a great vote of confidence to the essential role that gas pipelines play in the Australian economy and a ‘vital’ first step towards a new era of low emission power generation.

“This is a key step towards a new era of energy efficiency and responsibility – both in supporting the shift toward natural gas in the medium term, and in the longer term, development of a globally significant carbon capture and storage industry,” APIA Chief Executive Cheryl Cartwright said.

The research centre will initially focus on four areas of pipeline development, covering construction and maintenance, corrosion control and public safety. Four distinct projects will investigate:

• More efficient use of materials for energy pipelines
• Extension of the safe operating life of new and existing energy pipelines
• Advanced design and construction of energy pipelines
• Public safety and the security of supply of energy pipelines.

The centre is expected to officially commence operation on 1 January 2010.

WA:ERA team up with CGG Veritas

A new research alliance between WA:ERA and CGG Veritas was acknowledged at an official ceremony at the Australian Resources Research Centre in early August.

The new alliance will identify opportunities for research, development, consultancy, education, and commercial application of advanced geophysical technologies in the exploration and optimal exploitation of energy resources.

It will provide formal guidelines for rapidly planning, agreeing and executing individual research and development projects once they have been identified.

The President and Chief Operation Officer of CGG Veritas Thierry Le Roux said “We believe our investment in this agreement will pay significant dividends by enriching our global research with local research and development experience, and also raising our regional profile as a provider of leading-edge, global geophysical technology.”