Deployment of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects is accelerating across the United States. About 270 projects are in planning, construction, operation, or awaiting approval from the USEPA and primacy states. Energy infrastructure developers—whether from oil and gas, ethanol production or new investment groups—are banking on CCS as a pathway to a cleaner future, especially for industries where CO₂ generation cannot be avoided.
As the number of CCS projects rises, project interference becomes a key operational and regulatory concern. “Understanding project interference and its implications is critical for informed site selection and long-term operational success,” says Jon Yang, Senior Geochemist and subject matter expert with SCS Engineers.
Defining Project Interference
Suitable pore space is at a premium, so Class I, Class II, and Class VI injection projects are often geographically clustered and injected into the same hydraulically stable formations. Formation brines and supercritical CO2 are nearly incompressible, and individual pressure fronts can build up to become surprisingly large, traveling tens of miles through the permeable hydraulic network.
Project interference occurs when pressures from nearby operations rise and overlap. Project interference can distort the Area of Review (AoR), jeopardizing permitting and the viability of both new and existing CCS projects. Proactive planning through a purpose-built model is the best defense against project interference and essential for protecting investments and maintaining operability.
A Purpose-Built Model Thwarts Risk
A well-designed, dynamic model of the AoR is crucial for establishing project parameters that rigorously resist interference from neighboring projects and for assessing potential impacts. “Our models drastically reduce interference risk, protecting developers from costly operational and regulatory setbacks,” says Jon.
Pressure fronts are more difficult to track than the buoyant CO₂ plume, which is why a purpose-built model is the first line of defense against project interference. As a voice of authority in CCS projects, SCS Engineers helps energy infrastructure developers protect their investments by applying several best practices for site selection, model design and long-term project management:
“And most importantly, never underestimate the value of a strong, long-term relationship with the USEPA or state UIC administrator,” says Jon. As governing agencies, they have access to non-public data on CCS project locations, helping bridge critical information gaps in the model. With this insight, they can also provide a heads-up about potential project interference and help resolve disputes over it.
Conclusion
Project interference is a core technical and operational challenge in CCS. As the carbon storage industry evolves and becomes increasingly competitive, energy infrastructure developers may feel like they are flying blind. SCS Engineers specializes in complex physics, modeling processes and advanced computations needed to design purpose-built operational models that safeguard long-term project success.
Author: Jon Yang, PhD, is an engineering-focused geochemist with extensive experience serving industries for industrial wastewater management, contamination, carbon capture and sequestration, and environmental services. He holds a Doctorate in Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Science from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona. Dr. Yang’s background combines fundamental geoscience with applied engineering and has broad applicability to service areas such as deep-well injection, electric utilities, mining, and wastewater treatment.
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