View the recording: MEI Seminar 7 - Short and long-term options for LNG plant decarbonisation
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This final instalment in the 2025 MEI Seminar Series was presented by Prof. Eric May, Managing Director of Future Energy Exports CRC, and Director of Gas Capture Technologies Pty Ltd.
Reforms to the Australian Government's Safeguard Mechanism legislation in 2023 introduced the concept of declining baselines. Under the Safeguard Mechanism, Australia's large industrial facilities are required to keep emissions below a facility-specific baseline, which declines to zero emissions by 2050. Carbon credits must be used by the emitter to offset any emissions above its baseline, while emitting below baseline generates credits for the emitter.
For an existing LNG plant, using technology to meet a baseline that eventually reaches zero requires large-scale plant modifications in the areas of carbon capture, alternative fuels, and electrification. These technologies are at different levels of readiness for deployment at large scale and need to be evaluated against the alternative of offsetting emissions.
This presentation provided an overview of the 2024 FEnEX CRC Commonwealth milestone report Short- and Long-Term Options for LNG Plant Decarbonisation. Prof. Eric May discussed large-scale decarbonisation solutions available for existing LNG plants, the technical readiness of these solutions, notable instances where they have been tested, and the degree of decarbonisation they will provide.
Presenter
Professor Eric F. May FTSE, FIChemE, GAICD
Managing Director, Future Energy Exports CRC
Director, Gas Capture Technologies Pty Ltd.
Eric May is Managing Director of the Future Energy Exports (FEnEx) CRC and works closely with industry, conducting research projects in hydrogen liquefaction, LNG production, gas separations, CCS and fluid property prediction. Eric was named the 2021 Western Australian Scientist of the Year and was awarded one of the 2012 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. He has a spin-out company commercialising patented technologies to capture methane from coal mines and land-fill gas.
About MEI's Seminar Series - a deep dive into the energy supply chain
The aim of MEI's Seminar Series is to give participants a sound understanding of the current technical and economic factors that underpin the Australian energy system. Knowledge of these market factors is critical in determining the changes required to move towards a clean energy system.
Each year, the focus is turned to one of our primary energy vectors, cycling through the major topics of electricity, natural gas, and energy commodities.
In 2025, the focus is once again turned to the gas supply chain. The seminars are delivered by specialists from industry and the University of Melbourne. Read more about the seminars, and sign up to be notified when the seminars are open for registration.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Melbourne Energy Institute and The University of Melbourne.
The Melbourne Energy Institute welcomes broad discussion. Please engage respectfully and considerately with all perspectives.