BOC to build carbon dioxide processing facility in Vic

BOC, a gas and engineering company owned by Linde, has announced that it will be building a carbon dioxide processing facility in Longford, Victoria, as part of a CO₂ supply agreement with the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture.

The facility will be able to produce more than 60,000 tonnes of beverage-grade CO₂ each year, making it one of the largest such facilities in the South Pacific region.

The Gippsland Basin Joint Venture is a 50-50 joint venture between Esso Australia (Esso) and Woodside Energy. As part of the agreement, Gippsland Basin Joint Venture will capture CO₂ from its Longford Gas Conditioning Plant and send it directly to the new BOC facility.

John Evans, Managing Director of BOC South Pacific, said that the CO₂ processing plant would allow BOC to supply customers in Australia and New Zealand with high-quality CO₂ for their businesses.

“BOC is building new infrastructure to ensure long-term supply security of an essential gas used in many industries including food processing and packaging, beverage, hospitality, desalination, medical, manufacturing and water treatment,” Evans said.

“This significant investment is part of our commitment to develop local supply partnerships and expand our production capability to meet the future needs of our customers and support growth across the South Pacific Region.

“With the latest technologies and processes in quality control and efficiency, BOC’s new CO₂ facility will exceed internationally recognised food and beverage standards.”

Esso Australia Chairman Dylan Pugh said the agreement demonstrates the company’s efforts towards decarbonisation.

“Through this partnership with BOC, we will transform what is effectively a waste stream into a product of beneficial use for Australian businesses in the food, beverage, hospitality, manufacturing and medical industries,” Pugh said.

Woodside Energy Executive Vice President Marketing and Trading Mark Abbotsford said that the agreement showed how cooperation between businesses could help environmental and societal causes.

The facility is currently being scoped and construction is expected to commence this year, pending regulatory approvals, with completion set for 2024.

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