Air Liquide signs long-term CO2 supply agreement in Australia

As part of a new long-term supply agreement, Air Liquide will build a new purification and processing facility to supply high-quality carbon dioxide (CO2) to Australian industries.

Announced today (9^th March), the news is a result of a new agreement between the industrial gas giant and the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture, a 50-50 joint venture between BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd and Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd. 

Under the project plans, Air Liquide will build the facility next to the Longford Gas Conditioning Plant which will capture CO2 from its operations and supply it to Air Liquide for purification and re-use.

The purified CO2 will serve Australian businesses in a broad range of industries where quality and reliability of supply are a necessity. Such industries include food, beverage, water treatment, desalination, hospitality, manufacturing and medical.

Commenting on the plans, Marcos Etcheverrigaray, Managing Director of Pacific Industrial, Air Liquide, said, “This agreement with the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture demonstrates our shared commitment to contribute to improving the sustainability of our operations.”

“It will help promote a supply of this ingredient which is vital for a great number of our Australian customers.”

Construction of the new Air Liquide facility and modifications to the Longford Gas Conditioning Plant are expected to begin in 2021, subject to regulatory approvals.