The reservoir, part of the CTV I carbon capture and storage (CCS) vault, has an estimated capacity of up to 38 MMmt. (Source: Shutterstock)
California Resources Corp. (CRC) moved closer to its goal of capturing and storing CO2 at the Elk Hills Field after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft Class VI well permits for CRC’s carbon management business called Carbon TerraVault (CTV).
The draft permits for the wells, to be located about 20 miles west of Bakersfield, California, are open for public comment. Four public workshops and a public hearing are scheduled.
“This is a significant milestone for California as it moves to attain its ambitious climate goals,” CRC CEO Francisco Leon said in a Dec. 20 news release. “We are committed to supporting the state in reaching carbon neutrality and developing a more sustainable future for all Californians.”
If required regulatory approvals are secured, the company will have permission to drill California’s first wells for underground CO2 sequestration in a depleted oil and gas field. Plans include injecting CO2 at a rate of about 1.46 million metric tons (MT) per annum into Elk Hill’s 26-R reservoir located in California’s Kern County. The reservoir, part of the CTV I carbon capture and storage (CCS) vault, has an estimated capacity of up to 38 MMmt, CRC said in the release.
EPA has proposed issuing four Class VI Underground Injection Control permits to construct and operate the wells—one permit for each well—authorizing injection of CO2 at a depth of about 6,000 ft. Three of the four wells will be newly drilled to inject carbon into the ground, while one well is an existing injection well that will be converted to a Class VI well.
“After completing a thorough technical review of all information submitted by CTV in its permit application, as well as the operational standards, monitoring requirements and existing geologic setting, EPA has determined that the activities authorized under the Draft Class VI UIC permits are protective of underground sources of drinking water as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act,” the EPA said.
Kern County’s Planning and Natural Resources Department also released the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, which is open for public review and comment.
Recommended Reading
Canada’s Completed TMX Pulling Crude Off of American-bound Pipelines
2024-11-04 - Trans Mountain completed work on the company’s namesake pipeline expansion on May 1. It was the end of a difficult and controversial pipeline project that started development in the 2010s under Kinder Morgan.
Diamondback, Kinetik Boost Stake in Permian EPIC Crude Pipeline
2024-09-24 - Diamondback Energy, in partnership with Kinetik, is boosting its takeaway capacity and ownership stake in the EPIC Crude pipeline after closing a $26 billion Permian Basin acquisition.
Vivakor Expands Crude Gathering Network in Oklahoma STACK
2024-11-25 - Midstream company Vivakor is building its network following the October acquisition of Endeavor Crude.
Waha’s Negative Gas Prices Set an Unwelcome, Painful Record
2024-09-03 - Analysts: Gas producers are weathering nearly a month of negative natural gas prices thanks to hedging, but they can’t hold out indefinitely.
Matterhorn NatGas Pipeline Ramps Up Faster Than Expected
2024-10-22 - The Matterhorn Express natural gas pipeline has exceeded expectations since its ramp up on Oct. 1 for deliveries to interstate systems owned by Kinder Morgan, Williams and Enbridge.
Comments
Add new comment
This conversation is moderated according to Hart Energy community rules. Please read the rules before joining the discussion. If you’re experiencing any technical problems, please contact our customer care team.