Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is rapidly transforming the way carbon emissions are reduced. In regions with heavy manufacturing and fossil-fuel power plants, CCS could be essential to sustain operations while managing emissions. Louisiana, Wyoming, West Virginia, North Dakota, Arizona, and Texas have secured Class VI primacy, accelerating the permitting process and opening the door for more CCS deployment. “We’re at a pivotal moment, and states aren’t hesitating to dive in,” says Stephanie Hill, national expert in carbon sequestration and deep well injection at SCS Engineers.
Stephanie advises interested parties to pay attention to CCS trends, which shape staff hiring, Class VI permit processing, and the modeling and monitoring required to support long-term project success.
As leaders in CCS, SCS Engineers has spent over a decade tracking technology advances and regulatory shifts. Now, we’re inviting you to join our free webinar series, where our team will break down the top five CCS trends shaping the future and what they mean for your organization. Whether you’re a state regulator, policymaker, utility manager, or industry executive, these carbon sequestration sessions will equip you with the knowledge to make informed, confident decisions in this rapidly evolving landscape. Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn:
Trend 1: Using Advanced Critical Pressure Modeling to Shrink the Area of Review
Securing a Class VI well permit for CCS hinges on accurately defining the Area of Review (AoR), the underground zone where injected CO2 might impact drinking water sources. The traditional approach relies on a simplified, conservative pressure calculation. But this method can overestimate the AoR by 50 to 100 square miles, inflating project costs, pore‑space needs, monitoring requirements, and stakeholder engagement footprints.
“There’s a better way,” explains Dr. Charles Hostetler, senior project advisor and modeling SME at SCS Engineers. Our advanced critical pressure model tracks the evolution of brine pressures. The result is a more precise and realistic AoR.”
Trend 2: Accounting for Project Interference
Depending on geologic conditions, the pressure front created by CCS deep-well injection can influence conditions well beyond the CO2 plume boundary. With these forces at work, multiple injection projects within the same hydraulically connected reservoir can lead to overlapping pressure fields in the pore space, which could increase the AoR and the risk of CO2-brine migration into the USDW.
As use of CCS deep well injection grows, so does the challenge of accounting for pressures associated with Class I, II, and VI wells in the same region, including those installed or discovered after the AoR was first determined.
SCS Engineers has a plan for that. “When you design your model, think of the bigger picture,” says Charles. “A large, dynamic model allows integration of CO2 and pressure data from neighboring wells to predict potential influence on the AoR.”
Trend 3: Supplemental Permitting: Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a regulatory authority must account for both direct and indirect impacts of Class VI projects. But it is challenging to determine how a project located 3,000 feet below ground might affect the habitat and populations of animals and plants above ground.
SCS Engineers is meeting that challenge by evaluating the relationship between deep subsurface CO2 injection and reasonably certain surface impacts.
“This evaluation will help standardize Class VI operations and species interactions, streamline and accelerate the review process, and develop direct links between projects, impacts, and mitigation,” says Charles.
As CCS activity grows, ESA and NEPA supplemental permitting is emerging as a critical component of project readiness.
Trend 4: Representing Well Corrosion in Modeling
Localized and uniform corrosion of the injection well could create potential leakage pathways for the CO2 plume. Applicants rely on corrosion modeling to anticipate when and where well materials may begin to degrade and to select compatible construction materials for the well.
“The drawback is that model predictions only go so far,” says Stephanie. “That’s why we turn to real-world data for AoR models.”
Working with a metallurgy lab, SCS Engineers obtained a forensic analysis of a real-world tubing failure that was predicted to withstand anticipated conditions. This insight helps account for model uncertainty, which could prevent tubing failure and the incurred costs of operational downtime and tubing replacement.
As more Class VI wells come online, data‑driven well integrity modeling is becoming an essential protective measure.
Trend 5: Integrative Monitoring for AoR Re-evaluation
Compliance with CCS regulations requires monitoring the CO2 plume spread and recalibrating the AoR every 5 years. “Integrated monitoring programs that use multiple methods are trending,” says Tara Gross, project advisor on the SCS Deep Well Initiative Team.
Early baseline data lay the foundation for monitoring and defining how AoR models are recalibrated going forward. Data gathered during pre-injection testing, such as well integrity and seismic, groundwater, surface, and subsurface conditions, are essential to support time-based comparisons, identify subtle subsurface changes, and track plume behavior over time.
Innovate with SCS Engineers
Join Stephanie, Charles, Tara, and other SCS national experts in upcoming webinars to stay ahead of industry trends and avoid costly surprises as CCS projects move from concept to execution!
Watch the Carbon Sequestration Webinar Series here!
The picturesque California Delta, often referred to as the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, is emerging as a geological treasure trove in California’s ambitious journey toward reaching net-zero carbon emissions. Its unique geology presents a compelling case for carbon sequestration, an essential strategy in the battle against climate change. Recent developments, including a collaborative effort between SCS and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) on a Class VI permit application for Pelican Renewables, indicate the region’s growing importance in California’s carbon mitigation strategy.
Geological Foundations of Carbon Sequestration in the California Delta
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a vast inland delta formed by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers as they meet the waters of the San Francisco Bay. Its unique geology makes it an ideal candidate for carbon sequestration:
California’s Net Zero Carbon Goal and Carbon Sequestration in the Delta
California has set an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, a milestone in the fight against climate change. Achieving this objective necessitates reducing emissions and actively removing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon sequestration in the California Delta can be pivotal in this endeavor. The delta’s geological potential aligns seamlessly with the state’s commitment to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility.
Collaborative Efforts: SCS and LLNL’s Class VI Permit Application
The collaboration between SCS and the prestigious Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) underscores the seriousness with which carbon sequestration is being pursued in the California Delta. The joint Class VI permit application underlines the commitment to conducting carbon capture and storage (CCS) activities with the highest safety and environmental standards. This initiative is a testament to the growing synergy between scientific research and private enterprise in addressing climate challenges.
References and Further Reading
For a deeper dive into California’s efforts to reach net zero, “Getting to Neutral” by LLNL is a valuable resource. This publication outlines the exploration of various strategies and technologies to achieve California’s ambitious carbon reduction goals, including carbon sequestration in regions like the California Delta.
In conclusion, the California Delta’s geological attributes make it an attractive destination for carbon sequestration, a critical component in California’s mission to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Collaborative endeavors like SCS’s ongoing partnership with LLNL highlight the commitment to responsible carbon capture and storage practices. As we continue to innovate and harness the potential of our natural surroundings, the California Delta’s role in addressing climate change becomes increasingly evident and essential.
Related Resources
SCS Engineers’ authors Kacey Garber, PG, and Charles Hostetler, PhD, conclude that the Illinois Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act (SAFE CCS Act) of 2024 plays a crucial role in providing clarity for prospective project owners interested in developing value-added products based on low-carbon intensity ethanol. The Act’s potential to expand the market for low-carbon intensity ethanol through products such as sustainable aviation fuel and other chemicals can significantly enhance the financial incentives for carbon sequestration projects, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
Several U.S. states have obtained or are pursuing ‘primacy ‘, which refers to the authority to regulate, for regulating Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells for carbon sequestration through a state agency. In Illinois’ case, U.S. EPA Region 5 will continue to hold primacy under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to regulate Class VI UIC wells. However, the Illinois SAFE CCS Act, emphasizing state-level accountability, prohibits project operators from implementing CCS without meeting additional state-level requirements and receiving state agency approval. This design is intended to provide clarity for project operators and build confidence in the development and implementation of CCS projects.
Illinois manufacturers, and manufacturers in other states with similar legislation, who are pursuing or plan to pursue CCS and are subject to the requirements of SAFE CCS will acknowledge these requirements and the impacts on project schedule, cost, and scope for the permitting, operation, and post-closure phases as the authors explain in their article:
Additional Resources:
SCS Engineers and a Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) state geologist presented a webinar as part of the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists (PCPG) educational series. The educational webinar is timely as Governor Josh Shapiro recently signed Senate Bill 831 into law, creating a regulatory framework for the Commonwealth’s carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS).
The webinar, titled CCUS in the US and a Glimpse into What is Possible in Pennsylvania, Part I, includes SCS geologists from across the nation providing a technical overview of CCUS project planning, permitting, operations, and closure referencing current, active Class VI projects based on case studies. The webinar is available for a nominal fee on PCPG’s website, and professional credits (PDH or CEU) are available as allowed by your licensing state and entity.
The DCNR’s state geologist provides an overview of the CCUS work in Pennsylvania by DCNR for over 20 years, including coordinating with the Department of Energy, other states’ geological surveys, and public-private organizations to explore CCUS in the Commonwealth and neighboring states.
Questions and Follow-Up
During the live webinar, SCS received multiple inquiries from the audience, similar to our clients’ questions. We’ve created a separate video to answer them, which is available on the SCS website at the bottom of the carbon capture and DWI page. We hope you find the videos informative and valuable. Our geologists are passionate about their work and helping clients navigate regulations and implement sustainable projects.
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 831 and Other States
Our professionals continue to work on Class VI projects with multiple clients across the US where primacy has been granted, or states have regulations in place, including the outlook for CCUS in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Senate Bill 831 establishes the legal and regulatory framework for the Commonwealth’s potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS). SB831 provides “for the injection of carbon dioxide into an underground reservoir for the purpose of carbon sequestration, for the ownership of pore space in strata below surface lands and waters of the Commonwealth, for conveyance of the surface ownership of real property; imposing duties on the Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Hearing Board; and establishing the Carbon Dioxide Storage Facility Fund.”
View a copy of the Bill here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?sYear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0831.
CCUS | CCS | Deep Well Educational Video Resources:
Published CCUS Resources:
Join SCS Engineers at the 2024 PWS Permian Basin Summit. The Produced Water Society brings together industry-leading speakers such as Neil Nowak to address the produced water issues faced by operators, water midstream companies, and water service providers.
Neil will present “Produced Water Recycling and Evaporation Facilities” as a Roundtable Presentation at the event.
August 13, 2024
2:00 – 3:15 PM
Produced water experts with Permian Basin experience will discuss the existing solutions, technological innovations, and produced water management best practices needed to keep the most productive unconventional shale play in the world pumping hydrocarbons while ensuring sustainable business operations and safeguarding the local environment and freshwater resources.
Join SCS Engineers to solve environmental challenges.
• Carbon Sequestration & Deep Well Injection
• Greenhouse Gas Services
• Oil and Gas Services
Meet with SCS Engineers at the 2024 Railroad Commission (RRC) of Texas Regulatory Conference July 30-31 at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center to inform the oil and gas sector on the applicable laws, rules, and procedures for hydrocarbon production in Texas.
Join SCS Engineers to solve future energy challenges like:
Capturing carbon dioxide and injecting it into a Class VI well for permanent geologic carbon sequestration, or CO2 storage, is a practice that industry leaders use to decarbonize manufacturing processes. Manufacturers use CO2 storage to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint. There has been an uptick in proposed projects, both commercial hub-scale and single emitter-affiliated scale, particularly within the last year. The catalyst for the uptick in proposed projects is primarily the associated financial incentives, including federal tax credits and grant monies.
In this educational webinar, Professional Geologist Kacey Garber describes what manufacturers interested in geologic CO2 storage can expect the project landscape to look like in 2024. The video includes a discussion of the following:
Understanding the current project landscape and how and when future project opportunities might evolve is important for manufacturers considering the geologic storage of their CO2 stream, whether through a larger commercial hub or a smaller on-site project.
Additional Resources:
About the Presenter: Kacey Garber is a professional geologist experienced as a groundwater project manager for active and closed industrial client sites. Her responsibilities include groundwater monitoring and statistical analyses; reports and permit applications; designing sampling and analysis plans; special groundwater studies; and conducting groundwater well construction planning and design. She has also been involved in PFAS work groups and publishes on the topics of UIC and geologic carbon sequestration.
SCS Engineers is a Bronze Sponsor of Air & Waste Management Association’s 117th ACE 2024 Conference, June 24-27, at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The theme is “Emissions Reductions for Sustainable Energy Futures.”
SCS Engineers is hosting two booths at ACE 2024 – so swing by #102 and #104 to talk with our air and waste management experts and see demonstrations of advanced remote monitoring and control (RMC) software! Talk with Pat Sullivan, Mike McLaughlin, Carrie Ridley, Melissa Russo, Ryan Thomas, Ketan Shah, Stephanie Taylor, Evelyn Martinez, and David Greene about how SCS can find solutions for your air and waste management challenges.
Several of our professionals are presenting, including:
The Canadian Prairies region is a fast-growing area with many important exports including oil and gas, agriculture, and timber. In addition, this region spans many latitudes and encompasses many biomes including Grassland, Parkland, Foothills, Boreal Forest, Rocky Mountains, and the Canadian Shield. With this diversity in ecosystems and major exports comes a plethora of challenges. A calculated balance between resource development, social responsibilities, and environmental stewardship is needed; this makes the region a hotspot for emissions reductions and technological innovations.
Calgary is excited to host ACE 2024, bringing industry, academia, and policymakers together so that we can learn, collaborate, and most importantly, improve environmental knowledge and decision-making in this unique landscape which is at the forefront of global change. Alberta’s industries are constantly adapting, creating, and incorporating new technologies for responsible and sustainable development, with a focus on renewable and alternative resources. The global community will find Calgary, Alberta, and Canada a nexus for emerging ideas, innovations, and solutions in the field of environmental stewardship that are applicable worldwide.
Online registration is now open! Click here for more conference details
We hope to see you there!
Carbon management often takes a holistic approach, combining one or more environmental solutions. The CO2 experts at SCS Engineers recommend looking at Graphyte’s hybrid technology approach for carbon casting, a new approach to carbon removal that leverages readily available biomass. The solution is backed and incubated by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Here’s how it works…
Learn more about sustainable carbon management, carbon casting, carbon sequestration, and carbon reduction verification.
SCS Engineers explains how site characterization provides groundwater protection during carbon dioxide injection. Geologist Lindsey Hawksworth discusses the process by which the EPA permits Class VI wells for carbon storage and sequestration. She takes viewers through the steps of determining if a proposed project site has a suitable injection zone to receive carbon dioxide and a confining zone that prevents fluid movement out of the injection zone. Her guidance may help viewers determine if their Class VI wells operate as permitted. And, importantly, it helps detect risks that may lead to groundwater endangerment and potential reevaluation of the area of review where potential threats may exist. Spend 10 minutes with this sharp young professional!
Meet Lindsey Hawksworth, an SCS Project Professional. Lindsey provides groundwater sampling and monitoring, permitting, and field services management for groundwater protection. If you want to work with smart people like Lindsey, visit SCS Engineers. Reach out to her at or on LinkedIn with comments and questions.
See the SCS Engineers’ library of Clean Air and Greenhouse Gas Reduction videos for more educational content from our professionals. Visit our Carbon Sequestration & Deep Well Injection site where you’ll find more information about how to permanently isolate fluids and gases in deep geologic formations to ensure these materials stay there and don’t impact useable resources or the environment.
Corporate Headquarters
