Japan and Australia Partner on E-Methane Production for Clean Energy Export
Key Ideas
- Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Santos collaborate to conduct pre-front end engineering and design study for e-methane production in Australia.
- E-methane is created by combining green hydrogen and CO2 captured from industrial emissions, with a goal of exporting to Japan from 2030.
- The project plans to export over 130,000 tons of e-methane annually to Japan, utilizing existing LNG terminals operated by Santos.
- Both Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas have secured subsidies from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) for this initiative.
Japan's Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, and Toho Gas, along with Australia's Santos, have entered a partnership to conduct a pre-front end engineering and design study for the production of e-methane in Australia. This initiative aims to produce synthetic methane by combining green hydrogen and CO2 obtained from carbon capture of industrial emissions. The project, which follows a collaboration between Santos and Tokyo Gas to explore e-methane production in the Cooper Basin, is focused on exporting more than 130,000 tons of e-methane annually to Japan starting from 2030. The e-methane will be shipped from Moomba in the Cooper Basin to Japan via Santos-operated LNG terminals in Darwin and Gladstone. This endeavor has received support from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), with both Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas securing subsidies for the pre-FEED work. E-methane production represents a significant step towards clean energy export and demonstrates international cooperation in advancing sustainable energy solutions.