(Reuters) -BHP, the world's largest miner, is leading a global consortium of steelmakers to explore carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) opportunities across Asia, project manager Hatch said on Monday.

The group, comprising ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, JSW Steel, Hyundai Steel, Chevron Corp and Mitsui & Co, will assess the deployment of CCUS in "hard-to-abate" sectors, such as steelmaking.

The one-year pre-feasibility study will focus on the potential to develop large-scale projects in Asia, which could repurpose or store captured carbon dioxide.

While carbon capture technologies are relatively mature, they face cost and regulatory hurdles in many Asian markets.

The consortium will evaluate how shared infra can cut costs, aggregate sufficient volumes of carbon dioxide for storage or reuse and distribute risks across companies.

"By leveraging shared knowledge and resources with our partners, we are investing in support for innovative solutions, like the potential of CCUS, that we see as an essential part of decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as steelmaking," said Ben Ellis, BHP's vice president of marketing sustainability.

The study is expected to conclude at the end of 2026, with findings to be made public.

(Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)