200 Plugs for 4 Class VI Wells

First Class VI Permits in California Highlight Milestone and Challenges for CCUS Progress

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣? The 200 wells California Resources Corporation (CRC)’s subsidiary Carbon TerraVault JV Storage Company Sub 1, LLC must plug before the EPA will allow carbon dioxide injection into the four Class VI wells it issued permits for yesterday.

𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨? The challenging process of obtaining Class VI well permits remains a significant barrier to the advancement of CCUS projects. For example, the four permits issued yesterday by the EPA to CRC’s subsidiary mark a historic milestone—becoming the first Class VI injection wells approved in California and the first in the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. 11 other application are currently under review in the state.

While this achievement is a critical step forward for CCUS development in the state, it underscores the complexities involved. Requirements like “properly plugging 200 wells where carbon dioxide is expected to migrate during the project” highlight the dual challenge: developing a deep technical understanding to identify and address potential risks (e.g., the need to plug those wells) while ensuring the project remains economically viable.

Balancing these factors is where the true innovation and expertise in CCUS lie.

𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨:

• A Class VI permit allows for the injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into deep underground rock formations specifically for long-term geological sequestration.

• This project aims to sequester 1.5 million metric tons of CO₂ annually over 26 years, achieving a total storage capacity of nearly 38 million metric tons.

• The permits authorize the construction and operation of four deep injection wells within the Elk Hills Oil Field, approximately 20 miles west of Bakersfield, California. These wells will reach depths exceeding one mile, targeting the Monterey Formation for CO₂ storage.

• The initial CO₂ source for the project is identified as CRC's pre-combustion gas treatment facility located within the Elk Hills Oil Field.

𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨:

• EPA News Release

• EPA UIC Class VI Data Repository