CARBON CAPTURE, UTILIZATION, AND STORAGE

Concerns over greenhouse-gas emissions and the resulting impacts on the environment are ever-increasing. Producers and users of fossil fuels are expected to offset or decrease their carbon dioxide emissions to reach the global commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.

Clients rely on Geosyntec’s scientists and engineers to help their organizations respond to global guidelines and meet stakeholder expectations. Geosyntec’s support includes innovative solutions to reduce carbon footprints, calculate consumption, set energy transition targets, build compliance solutions, discern potential and actual environmental risks, and develop strategies to reduce emissions

Our practitioners help clients manage risks, both aboveground (regulatory, community, reputational, sensitive resources, and distance to sources) and below (seismic, groundwater aquifers, well control, fault lines, interference with existing wells, and compatibility) throughout a project’s entire life cycle.

CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

To help achieve carbon-reduction goals, reduce cost to private capital, and accelerate technologies, the US is offering tax credits and federal funding opportunities. Our team works to identify funding opportunities for our clients, mapping programs and resources to clients’ capital projects.

We approach funding research by evaluating our clients’ short- and long-term program objectives and the funding programs’ eligibility criteria. We routinely work with our clients to establish grant eligibility, registration, workflows, application priorities, grant frameworks, partnerships, budgets, full grant applications, and submittal. Our grant writing expertise and understanding of alternative funding mechanisms can support your overall strategy for securing additional federal funds, local and state incentives and grants, and tax credits.

The Department of Energy (DOE) received $62 Billion in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to expand energy efficiency and advance clean energy technology. This includes $12.6 Billion for carbon capture, carbon utilization, carbon storage and industrial emission reduction.

$2.5 Billion (for Fiscal Years 2022-2026): Funding to develop large-scale commercial carbon sequestration projects and supporting transport infrastructure. Includes support for development of storage from multiple carbon capture facilities.

$3.5 Billion (For Fiscal Years 2022-2026): DOE funding to lead the development of regional direct air capture (DAC) hubs that will store and/or utilize one million metric tons of CO2 per year. The hubs will consist of will be networks of DAC projects, storage, and infrastructure.

REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS:

USEPA Class VI Permitting for CO2 Sequestration: Confidential Client

Geosyntec serves as the Subsurface Permitting Lead for a CCS project in USEPA Region IX and was responsible for the development and compilation of the Underground Control (UIC) Class VI permit application for a Permit to Construct. Our key contributions included preparation of the complex geologic site characterization, operational testing and monitoring plan, emergency response and remedial plan, and quality assurance and surveillance plan, as well as data management, geochemical modeling, subsurface visualization, and final compilation of the complete Class VI application for submittal. Geosyntec was responsible for organization and communication across a multidisciplinary, multicompany team with over 100 individual contributors, adapting to an aggressive client-driven timeline, and management of diverse subsurface data from a variety of sources. We continue to support the application after submittal and are helping the client achieve certification under the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

DOE Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Storage Validation and Testing: Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Initiative: Phases III, III.5, and IV Grant: Confidential Clients

Geosyntec provided grant writing and grant support for two carbon storage projects applying for federal funds through the DOE. Grant support included vetting eligibility, grant registration, grant positioning and strategy, authoring a prioritized grant framework and partnership development. The grant funding requests were for $96M and $30M.

Baseline Monitoring for CO2 Sequestration: Confidential Client

Geosyntec is supporting a planned CO2 Sequestration Project in USEPA Region VIII with the development of baseline monitoring plans for soil gas monitoring, ecosystem stress monitoring, and groundwater monitoring.

Site Identification and Nontechnical Risk Analysis for CCUS Projects: Confidential Client

On behalf of a private equity firm, Geosyntec conducted a market study to identify and track CCUS-related projects across the United States. Geosyntec tabulated project details for approximately 100 projects which included the location, status, participants, capacity in metric tons of CO2/year, and anticipated timing. We also developed a presentation on the market drivers, risks, and federal and state permitting processes with focus on Texas and Louisiana.

CO2 Pipeline Routing and Permitting: Confidential Client

Geosyntec assisted with identifying and evaluation of numerous route alternatives for a CO2 pipeline to transport captured CO2 from an industrial facility in the Louisiana Chemical Corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans to an existing oil and gas production field for injection into the subsurface to provide enhanced oil recovery. The pipeline traversed through a heavy industrial area with constraints, numerous pipelines and highways, potential contaminated areas, and sensitive resources. Geosyntec developed a matrix that identified the development and environmental permits, application and regulatory costs, and time.

Stakeholder Engagement: Confidential Clients

Geosyntec is leading stakeholder engagement strategy development for multiple clients in the United States. The work involves identifying and mapping stakeholders who may have an interest in, or influence on, the projects, conducting environmental justice analysis, develop project messaging and outreach materials, and creating and implementing the overall stakeholder engagement plan for the full life cycle of the projects. Stakeholder engagement plans are developed to be flexible, enabling our clients the opportunity to adapt, as needed, to changing stakeholder needs and concerns.

GEOSYNTEC CCUS SERVICES:

Carbon Capture and Utilization

• Air permitting
• Capture-technology screening
• Research and development
• Engineering and design
• Site selection analysis
• Greenhouse-gas calculation, monitoring, and verification
• 45Q (carbon-capture tax credit) and state credit advisory services
• Project planning and permitting

Transport

• Project planning and permitting
• Routing and siting studies
• Natural-resource and cultural field surveys
• Geohazard assessments and mitigation
• Construction monitoring
• Stakeholder outreach
• Impact assessment under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

CO2 Sequestration

• Project planning
• Site screening and selection
• Impact assessment under NEPA
• Surface and subsurface Class VI permitting
• CARB LCFS Site Certification
• Baseline monitoring
• Geologic site characterization and geohazard assessment
• Stakeholder engagement planning
• Federal grant writing
• Seismic interpretation
• Static reservoir and seismic modeling