Private Standards forCarbon Capture and

Geologic Sequestration

RegulationCaitlin AugustinApril 22nd, 2011

Presentation Outline1. Background of carbon

capture and geologic sequestration

1. Potential outcomes of CCS

2. The need for an international regulatory framework

1. Existing regulations2. Private standards

Carbon Capture and Geologic Sequestration

CCS is a method of capturing carbon dioxide from large point sources and storing it in such a way that it never

enters the atmosphere

Major outcomes of carbon capture and geologic sequestration

1. Stable sequestration, where the CO2 is stored through mineral, hydrodynamic or solubility trapping. The trapped CO2 then remains stored within the reservoir boundaries at a consistent pressure and temperature.

2. Fracturing, some CO2 trapping may occur, but pressure and temperature of the reservoir exceed acceptable conditions and the caprock seal is fractured, releasing CO2 gas outside of the reservoir.

3. Viscous fingering, some CO2 trapping may occur, but the CO2 is less buoyant than the existing pore waters and can thus migrate out of the boundary layers.

The Need for a Regulatory Framework

Health and safety regulators need a solid understanding of geological performance in a variety of geological settings and reservoir types in order to design monitoring and remediation requirements

Permitting and acquisition of storage rights rests on adequacy of models to accurately project geological storage capacity, plume size and behavior

Monitoring methodology and remediation techniques to trust that any leakage could be detected and remediated

Potential Areas of Regulation in Carbon Sequestration

Capture RegulationsPercentage captured

Capture materialsTransportation mechanisms

Safety StandardsMonitoring and

verificationStorage RegulationsCumulative Affects

Injectant CompositionProperty ManagementEnvironmental Impact

Site ShutdownArea of Influence

Site RehabilitationGHG Accounting

Caprock Composition

Existing Regulations

Drivers of a Regulatory Framework

Climate change policy Energy infrastructure Classification of CO2 Location of sites Subsurface property

rights Investor desire to

make CCS both legal and profitable

Management Through Private Standards

Industry developed, consensus based ISO, ANSI, ASTM International, IEEE, CSA,

USGBC International in scope

Provide an industry-wide code Kyoto CDM certifications

Government regulators often give voluntary standards the force of law by citing them in laws, regulations, and codes. 1995 passage of the National Technology

Transfer and Advancement Act (Public Law 104-113) requires government agencies to use privately developed standards whenever it is at all possible

Example to Follow: Natural Gas Transportation Standards

ASTM D2513 - 11e1 “Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings” transformation from a near-exclusive metallic

distribution piping network to a near-exclusive thermoplastic piping distribution network

saved US natural gas utilities in excess of $10 Billion in installation and maintenance costs.

U.S. Department of Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 192.281(e)

Rules of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

International Plastic Pipes Institute "Policies and Procedures for Developing

Hydrostatic Design Basis (HDB), Strength Design Basis (SDB), Pressure Design Basis (PDB) or Minimum Required Strength (MRS) Ratings for Thermoplastic Piping Materials or Pipe”

Proposed Standards Risk-based Performance Standards. Regulatory

scheme that will tailor project requirements to specific risks posed by a particular project

Transportation: transport as supercritical CO2 by pipelines, less than 5% fugitive emissions, pipeline length governed by the pressure drop equation

Site selection: siting locations following drinking water criteria

Site operations/closure: Reevaluation of the Area of Review every 5 years in order to address concerns about the inherent uncertainties in modeling CO2 movement

Long-term stewardship: monitoring and reporting techniques contingent with clean air criteria

Progress Update 2013 CSA Standards and IPAC-CO2 comprehensive

industry standards 2011 COP 16 (CMP 6 ) Cancun adopted the decision

“Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage in Geological Formations as Clean Development Mechanism Project Activities”

2010 Environmental Protection Agency Underground Injection Control Regulations

2008 International Risk Governance Council Report on Regulatory Challenges

2007 IPCC Report on Carbon Capture and Sequestration 2006 International Panel on Climate Change Guidelines

for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

Questions?