An Overview of Recent Efforts Under the Department of Energy’s Carbon Storage Program: Carbonsafe

The Carbon Storage Program implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is helping to develop technologies that safely and permanently store carbon dioxide (CO₂) without adversely impacting natural resources or hindering economic growth. Since its inception in 1997, the Carbon Storage Program (“the Program”) is developing and advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies both onshore and offshore that will significantly improve the effectiveness of the technologies, reduce the cost of implementation, and be ready for widespread commercial deployment. The portfolio includes industry development projects, university research projects, national laboratory research (including research conducted at NETL), and international collaborations to leverage global expertise, test facilities, and field sites. The Program approaches these challenges through integration of two components: (1) individual technologies developed through R&D, and (2) field lab testing sites.

Building upon almost two decades of knowledge and experience gained from the field lab testing projects and Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Initiative efforts, the Program initiated the Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative. The CarbonSAFE Initiative addresses key gaps on the critical path toward CCS deployment by reducing technical risk, uncertainty, and cost of a geologic storage complex for 50+ million metric tons of CO₂ over a 30-year timeframe from industrial sources. The CarbonSAFE Initiative is taking a phased approach: (1) the Integrated CCS Pre-Feasibility phase, (2) the Storage Complex Feasibility phase, and (3) Site Characterization and CO₂ Capture Assessment. Subject to the availability of funding, a fourth phase would include permitting and construction. A total of 13 projects were completed under Phase I, which provided high-level evaluations of potential CCS scenarios in regions throughout the United States. Now nearing completion, six projects were awarded under Phase II to confirm the adequacy of storage complexes through initial site characterization. Phase III projects, anticipated to commence in 2020, will involve the entire integrated process, including a capture assessment, detailed site characterization, and begin the permitting process. These efforts are designed to lead to commercial-scale operations that demonstrate long-term capture and storage can be performed safely and securely. This presentation will include the latest updates from the CarbonSAFE Initiative.