Carbon Capture, Sequestration, and Storage
Background
Carbon Capture and Sequestration/Storage is often shorted to the acronym (CCS). This can be confused with another acronym of a similar process, CCUS. CCUS stands for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage. Both of these refer to the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2), when it is created during a power generating or industrial process. This carbon is then contained and stored, sometimes underground or transported via pipeline, to prevent it being emitted into the atmosphere. The main difference with CCUS is rather than storing the CO2, it can be repurposed in an industrial process such as being used for fuel.
Carbon capture is being touted as a major climate crisis solution, but the evidence is to the contrary. CCS is expected to account for approximately 2.4% of carbon mitigation in the world by 2030.[1] Additionally, industry and legislators alike are saying that current CCS operations will capture 90-95% of the CO2 emitted. This is false. CCS facilities that have been studied have either completely shut down before full operation or fallen short of their goals and the global rate of carbon capture is only averaging about 83% currently.[2] Companies and facilities make bold claims when it comes to how much CO2 they plan to capture in their production. But when it comes to actual performance of the capture rate, expectations fall woefully short. The Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage project forecasted a 22% capture rate, but reported an actual capture rate of 12%.[3]
Enhanced Oil Recovery
Another issue with carbon capture is that it can also be used for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), which is how the majority of captured carbon has been used to date.[12] This technique is where mature oil fields that are no longer productive through other methods, have the CO2 forcefully injected into the reservoir and force the oil up into the production well.[13] EOR is touted as a good climate solution because most of the time the CO2 injected into the ground stays there, as of now. But not always. A school had to be evacuated and relocated for several months in 2016 in Wyoming due to a CO2 leak from a nearby oil field where the company was using CO2 to force the oil out.[14] The odors of gas came from an abandoned well and it was reported that the levels of CO2 were 20 times higher than recommended.[15] The CO2 leaked through small underground cracks and rose up into the school.[16] This supports continued fossil fuel extraction at a time when we must be developing renewable energy that does not emit greenhouse gasses. Additionally, EOR allows for the dependence on fossil fuels to be perpetuated and continued the parade of false solutions.
[12] Commercial Carbon Dioxide Uses: Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery, National Energy Technology Laboratory, last accessed July 16, 2024, https://netl.doe.gov/research/coal/energy-systems/gasification/gasifipedia/eor, Section 9.2, Figure 1.
[13] Commercial Carbon Dioxide Uses: Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery, National Energy Technology Laboratory, last accessed July 15, 2024, https://netl.doe.gov/research/coal/energy-systems/gasification/gasifipedia/eor
[14] Cooper McKim, Wyoming School Shutter by Gas Leak Ready to Reopen, Inside Energy, May 26, 2017, https://insideenergy.org/2017/05/26/wyoming-school-shuttered-by-gas-leak-ready-to-reopen/#:~:text=Midwest%20School%20shut%20its%20doors,%2Dde%2DLis%20or%20FDL.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid.