Australia has designated an offshore geological formation near its northern coast as a potential site for storing carbon dioxide, advancing a proposed project led by Japan’s Inpex. The designation identifies where storage could take place; it does not authorize the project to begin injecting carbon dioxide.

The proposed Bonaparte project would use the West Peron formation, a deep saline aquifer beneath the Timor Sea. Inpex says the site could hold up to 443 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over as many as 35 years. The plan would require additional environmental assessments and government licences before operations could start.

Supporters say carbon capture and storage could help reduce emissions from industries such as steel, cement and shipping, where replacing fossil fuels can be difficult. The Australian government describes the site designation as a step toward developing storage capacity for industrial emissions.

Environmental advocates dispute that case. They argue that relying on carbon storage could prolong the use of fossil fuels and put marine habitats at risk. The Associated Press reported that climate scientists remain divided over the technology’s role in reducing emissions.

The project is still in development. Inpex and its partners must complete further reviews and secure approvals before any carbon dioxide is stored beneath the seabed, according to the Associated Press and the company’s project information.

Sources: Associated Press; Reuters, via Yahoo News; Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources.