(147a) An Overview of Recent Efforts Under the Department of Energy’s Carbon Storage Program: Moving CCS Towards Commercialization

The Carbon Storage Program implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (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. Specifically, the Carbon Storage Program is developing and advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies both onshore and offshore that will significantly improve the effectiveness of the technology, reduce the cost of implementation, and be ready for widespread commercial deployment. Since 1997, DOE’s Carbon Storage Program has significantly expanded the CCS knowledge base in selected technology areas through a diverse portfolio of applied research and field laboratory projects. The Storage program is comprised of three primary technology areas: (1) Storage Infrastructure, (2) Advanced Storage R&D, and (3) Risk and Integration Tools. These areas work together to address significant technical challenges in order to meet program goals that support the scale-up and widespread deployment of CCS.

Since 2003, DOE has been sponsoring research-oriented field projects through the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Initiative. The Initiative consisted of three Phases: Phase I - Characterization (2003-2005); Phase II - Validation (2005-2011); and Phase III - Large Volume Injection Tests (2007 to 2022). As the RCSP Initiative nears completion, the Carbon Storage Program is moving forward with the Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative which is intended to research the feasibility of a commercial scale storage project (50 Mt+ storage over 25+ years). The CarbonSAFE Initiative began in FY16 and is also taking a phased approached starting with the Integrated CCS Pre-Feasibility phase followed by the Storage Complex Feasibility phase with the potential for additional phases in the future. Phase I, Pre-Feasibility, is nearing completion and Phase II, Feasibility, is underway. This presentation will include the latest updates from the CarbonSAFE Initiative.