Nikki Accornero is a stakeholder engagement and corporate affairs advisor with over 15 years’ experience (of her 30-year career) in carbon capture and storage (CCS) and low emission technologies.

With a deep background in strategic stakeholder engagement, project advocacy, corporate affairs and communications, her work has supported onshore and industrial CCS projects, including the Surat Basin Carbon Capture and Storage Project (a former Australian Government CCS Flagship initiative) and the Glencore Surat Hydrogen Project.

Nikki has advised on CCS initiatives across the full value chain — from environmental impact assessments and business case development to regulatory engagement and social licence strategies. This includes significant work at the community, industry and government levels. She has a detailed understanding of Queensland and Commonwealth CCS policy and regulatory frameworks, developed over nearly two decades.

Her core strength lies in forensic stakeholder mapping and strategic analysis to design targeted advocacy and engagement programs. These programs have been instrumental in navigating complex regulatory, environmental and political environments — particularly for projects with high public visibility or sovereign risk. 

In 2024, Nikki presented on the CTSCo experience at both the University of Queensland’s Gas & Energy Transition Research Centre and CCUS Network Australia member webinar series, providing insight into the intersection of science, policy and community acceptance in delivering CCS projects. 

More recently, in September 2025, Nikki presented at the PESA Energy Geoscience Symposium in Queensland sharing key lessons from Queensland’s CTSCo project and highlighting how WA, SA and the NT are advancing with the strategy, geology and political will to make CCS a reality.

Since December 2024, Nikki has served as a member of the CCUS Network Australia Communication Committee. She has actively contributed to committee discussions and initiatives and was the principal author of the CCUS Network Australia Communication Handbook for members. Nikki is now leading the development of a revised edition to reflect the emerging CCUS industry in South Australia and the Northern Territory and its ongoing growth.