Carbon Management
Overview
The Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) believes that carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) will play a vital role to meet the global emissions-reduction goals set in the Paris Accords. CCUS is one of the few proven technologies that allows us to safely capture, utilize, and store millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year. For the last two years, OGS has been innovating and assessing the concept of multi-user CCUS ‘hubs” in Oklahoma’s industrial areas near geologic storage sites. We think the state of Oklahoma is a perfect place for such concept because of its strategic location at the center of the county, its large industrial emission sources (rank 19th in the country), and particularly the availability of various geologic subsurface storages such as saline formations (e.g. Arbuckle Group), depleted oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal, basalt formations, and organic-rich shale reservoirs (see geological model animation above) which could store large amount of CO2 safely, securely, and permanently.
We also believe the CCUS is a massive project that requires a large collaboration in the United States between government at federal and state levels, private industries, academia, and local communities to achieve lower-carbon future in Oklahoma and United States in particular; and the world in general. Oklahoma as the “Oil Capital of the World” is already the home for all kinds of energy innovations; and OGS as the state agency has a unique position and role to help advance and continue these innovations.
Carbon-related Activities
Convergence Accelerator Workshop (2020)
Overview
Ongoing science and technology efforts aim to achieve the needed reduction of atmospheric carbon by injection into site-specific reservoirs, with clear metrics for storage and leakage. These experiments have been accompanied by abundant modeling and analysis of the geologic reservoir system from the pore scale to the field scale, and attention to concerns surrounding induced seismicity. Meanwhile, geographic, social science, and economic analyses have progressed to the point where models can predict the cost returns under 45Q, and debate the relative merits of any geoengineering solution to the climate crisis. This workshop aims to bridge these highly disparate communities in a discussion that we hope will frame a real-world paradigm shift where carbon can be actively reduced in a way that blends science and technology with broader national and global views of the atmospheric carbon dilemma. Through the technologies that enhance the reduction of atmospheric CO2, new economic opportunities and new jobs would be realized to support this shift. This interactive workshop provides a rare opportunity for the scientists, industry, government, and the general public to chart out this future.
The Oklahoma Geological Survey hosted an NSF-funded workshop which was held online from 12:00- 3:00 PM EST, and took place on September 28th, October 1st and October 6th, 2020.
Click below to read the white paper that resulted from discussions amongst over 100 experts in a variety of fields during the 3-day virtual workshop.
