Carbon capture and storage (CCS), also known as carbon capture and sequestration, helps manufacturers, industrial producers and generating facilities meet environmental requirements in a cost-effective, responsible manner.
CCS captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by these plants before they enter the atmosphere. The captured CO2 is liquified, transported and permanently stored deep underground beneath a thick layer of impermeable cap rock. The CO2 then naturally mineralizes and dissolves over time.
CO2 is captured at the point of emission, such as ethanol plants, agribusiness, natural gas processing plants, steel processing and other facilities, or through direct air capture, rather than being released into the atmosphere. The CO2 is then processed and compressed into a liquid.
A high-strength carbon steel pipeline system safely delivers the liquified CO2 to a storage site.
The liquified CO2 is injected deep underground, where it is stored in porous rock and sealed beneath a thick layer of impermeable cap rock. The CO2 then naturally mineralizes and dissolves over time.
No. According to the Global CCS Institute, CCS projects have been operating since the mid-1990s with proven results. Today, there are 41 fully operational CCS facilities in the world, with another with 26 under construction and 300 in development. About half of these are in the United States.
A CCS project utilizes pore space deep below ground to store CO2. Except for the relatively small number of above-ground injection wells, monitoring equipment and monitoring wells, nothing changes above-ground. Farmers and landowners can continue to use their land just as they always have.