Shearwater awarded second Bonaparte Basin carbon storage survey

Results from the campaign will help identify offshore CO2 injection well locations and establish a baseline for future monitoring.
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Aug. 3, 2026
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Why this news matters:

  • Repeat seismic campaigns suggest continued momentum behind efforts to develop commercial-scale offshore carbon storage capacity in the Bonaparte Basin. 

  • Establishing a baseline seismic dataset is a critical step toward future CO2 injection and long-term reservoir monitoring.

 

Courtesy Ulstein
SW Bly seismic research vessel

The project is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2026 and will be executed by the SW Bly, with an expected duration of 50 days. 

Shearwater Geoservices has secured a contract to conduct a 3D seismic survey for an undisclosed client evaluating carbon storage opportunities in the Bonaparte Basin offshore northern Australia.

The survey will support appraisal of the basin's carbon capture and storage (CCS) potential, with the acquired geophysical data helping to identify future CO2 injection well locations. The dataset will also serve as a baseline survey for future 4D seismic monitoring designed to track the movement and containment of stored CO2 over time. 

Shearwater's seismic vessel SW Bly (formerly Polarcus Amani) is scheduled to begin the 50-day campaign later this quarter. 

The award marks Shearwater's second CCS-focused survey in the Bonaparte Basin following a similar campaign in 2024, underscoring growing industry interest in the region as a potential hub for large-scale offshore carbon storage projects. 

The Bonaparte Basin has emerged as one of Australia's most prospective regions for offshore carbon storage due to its extensive sedimentary formations and proximity to major industrial emissions sources in northern Australia and Asia.

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About the Author

Jeremy Beckman
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Jeremy Beckman

Staff Writer / Editor, Europe

Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.

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