Six 15 megawatt GE gas compressors will power Australia's largest natural gas storage and carbon dioxide capture facility at the immense Gorgon gas field (40 trillion cubic feet) on the west coast reports ENS. Natural gas will be extracted and delivered to shore for treatment and liquefaction. CO2 will be stripped from the gas and injected into depleted wells 1300 meters deeps to insure safe storage. Usually waste CO2 is vented directly to the atmosphere. The ambitious pilot project is intended to demonstrate the possibilities of cleaner fossil fuel burning as well as provide power and jobs to Western Australia. The project is managed by Chevron with Shell and Exxon as partners. Overall cost is expected to reach $50 billion, the largest investment ever in the region. Chevron says that the Gorgon plant will capture carbon equivalent to removing two-thirds of all vehicles from Australia's roads. The G-8 recommended 20 large scale carbon capture demonstration projects be undertaken by 2020. Australia gave the go ahead at a signing ceremony on September 14th. The plant's partners have already signed gas sales agreements with Japan, North Korea, China and India.[image courtesy Chevron Australia]