Texas is a step closer to injecting carbon into deep rock formations for permanent storage, after EPA issued the first draft Class VI permits in the state.
EPA published three draft permits Wednesday for an Occidental Petroleum project that would inject carbon dioxide more than 4,000 feet underground in the heart of the energy-rich Permian Basin. The wells are tied to the oil company’s Stratos facility, a direct air capture plant that aims to pull 500,000 metric tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere each year.
In a news release, EPA said the three Class VI wells in Ector County would be able to store about 722,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The agency said it evaluated the sites to ensure that the wells would not contaminate underground water sources or cause seismic activity.
“As part of its central role delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious climate and environmental justice agenda, EPA is following a rigorous, science-based process in implementing its Safe Drinking Water Act Underground Injection Control program,” EPA said.
