BHP Joins Consortium to Assess CCUS Hubs Across Asia

BHP Group Limited is part of a 12-member industry consortium to assess the development of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) hubs across Asia. The consortium, comprising leading steelmakers and value chain players, will investigate commercial and technical pathways to utilise CCUS in hard-to-abate sectors across the continent. The research will conclude in 2026 and is open to additional members wanting to join and contribute to the study.

BHP Group Limited is spearheading a 12-member industry consortium to evaluate the development of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) hubs across Asia. The initiative, which includes leading steelmakers and value chain players, aims to explore commercial and technical pathways for utilising CCUS in hard-to-abate sectors across the continent. The research, slated to conclude by the end of 2026, is open to additional members wanting to contribute.

The consortium, which comprises ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, JSW Steel, Hyundai Steel, Chevron, Mitsui & Co., and other key players, will conduct a pre-feasibility study. The study will examine the technical and commercial pathways to utilise CCUS in hard-to-abate industries, focusing on the potential for large-scale projects that can repurpose or store captured carbon dioxide (CO2).

By leveraging shared infrastructure and economies of scale, the study seeks to identify potential applications for captured CO2 in industrial processes or transport it via pipeline or shipping to storage sites in Asia or Northern Australia. Each participant in the study will be involved in at least one hub, with the goal of aggregating captured CO2 into large enough volumes to optimise costs, unlock utilisation solutions, and share risks across multiple industries.

The consortium will also assess non-technical enablers, such as regulatory frameworks, including intra and inter-regional assessments of CCUS and cross-border transport. The findings of the study will be shared publicly to promote broader industry learning and support the development of enabling policy and regulatory frameworks.

BHP's Vice President Marketing Sustainability, Ben Ellis, underscored the importance of this initiative. "BHP is committed to supporting our steelmaking customers on their journey to decarbonise the industry," he said. "With more than one billion tonnes of production a year in Asia coming from blast furnace capacity that is relatively early in its production life, it’s important for industry to progress technologies to decarbonise existing steelmaking assets while new commercial pathways to decarbonise steelmaking are developed over time."

The consortium's study is a significant step towards decarbonisation, particularly in regions where regulatory hurdles and market maturity limit progress. By focusing on regional hubs, the study aims to solve the challenge of scale by aggregating captured carbon into sufficiently large quantities to optimise the unit cost of capture, transportation, and storage, provide sufficient scale for economic utilisation solutions, and unlock novel solutions for multiple hard-to-abate industries at once.

The study will be led by Hatch in collaboration with the Global CCS Institute, McDaniel, and Pace CCS. The findings are expected to be shared publicly by the end of 2026, providing valuable insights into the potential of CCUS for decarbonisation efforts in Asia.

References:
[1] https://www.bhp.com/news/media-centre/releases/2025/08/global-industry-leaders-launch-ccus-hub-study-to-accelerate-decarbonisation-in-asia
[2] https://www.australianmining.com.au/bhp-to-explore-large-scale-ccus-hubs/
[3] https://www.ainvest.com/news/bhp-leads-consortium-carbon-capture-storage-investigation-china-2508/