42 U.S.C. § 17271: Carbon dioxide sequestration…

Summary

Requires the Secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Geological Survey, to make a way to measure how much carbon dioxide (CO2) can be stored underground and then to do a national study using that way. The method must be finished within 1 year after December 19, 2007. The method must cover where storage formations are, how much they can hold, how easily CO2 can be injected, possible oil or gas recovery from injection, risks, and the earlier Carbon Sequestration Atlas work. The Secretary must work with the Department of Energy, the EPA, state geological surveys, and others, publish the draft method and get public and expert comments, and then publish the final method in the Federal Register. Within 2 years after the draft method is published, the Secretary must finish a national assessment that includes drilling for well logs, cores, and fluid samples and may partner with other drilling programs. Results must go into the NatCarb database or a new database and let users rank sites by capacity and risk across the nation, by state, formation, and basin. A report must be sent to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee within 180 days after the assessment. The method and the assessment must be updated at least once every 5 years. Congress authorized $30,000,000 for fiscal years 2008 through 2012. Assessment: the national study of onshore CO2 storage capacity. Capacity: the part of a formation that can hold CO2 under the method’s rules. Engineered hazard: locations and histories of wells that could affect storage. Risk: geological, chemical, water, structural, and engineered dangers to storage. Secretary: the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the USGS. Sequestration formation: deep saline formations, unmineable coal seams, or oil or gas reservoirs that can hold industrial CO2.

Title 42, §17271

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions

In this section

(1) Assessment

(2)Capacity

The term “capacity” means the portion of a sequestration formation that can retain carbon dioxide in accordance with the requirements (including physical, geological, and economic requirements) established under the methodology developed under subsection (b).

(3)Engineered hazard

The term “engineered hazard” includes the location and completion history of any well that could affect potential sequestration.

(4)Risk

The term “risk” includes any risk posed by geomechanical, geochemical, hydrogeological, structural, and engineered hazards.

(5)Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United States Geological Survey.

(6)Sequestration formation

The term “sequestration formation” means a deep saline formation, unmineable coal seam, or oil or gas reservoir that is capable of accommodating a volume of industrial carbon dioxide.

(b)Methodology

Not later than 1 year after December 19, 2007, the Secretary shall develop a methodology for conducting an assessment under subsection (f), taking into consideration—

(1)the geographical extent of all potential sequestration formations in all States;

(2)the capacity of the potential sequestration formations;

(3)the injectivity of the potential sequestration formations;

(4)an estimate of potential volumes of oil and gas recoverable by injection and sequestration of industrial carbon dioxide in potential sequestration formations;

(5)the risk associated with the potential sequestration formations; and

(6)the work done to develop the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada that was completed by the Department.

(c)Coordination

(1)Federal coordination

(A)Consultation

The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on issues of data sharing, format, development of the methodology, and content of the assessment required under this section to ensure the maximum usefulness and success of the assessment.

(B)Cooperation

The Secretary of Energy and the Administrator shall cooperate with the Secretary to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the usefulness and success of the assessment.

(2)State coordination

The Secretary shall consult with State geological surveys and other relevant entities to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the usefulness and success of the assessment.

(d)External review and publication

On completion of the methodology under subsection (b), the Secretary shall—

(1)publish the methodology and solicit comments from the public and the heads of affected Federal and State agencies;

(2)establish a panel of individuals with expertise in the matters described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (b) composed, as appropriate, of representatives of Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, nongovernmental organizations, State organizations, industry, and international geoscience organizations to review the methodology and comments received under paragraph (1); and

(3)on completion of the review under paragraph (2), publish in the Federal Register the revised final methodology.

(e)Periodic updates

The methodology developed under this section shall be updated periodically (including at least once every 5 years) to incorporate new data as the data becomes available.

(f)National assessment

(1)In general

Not later than 2 years after the date of publication of the methodology under subsection (d)(1), the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and State geological surveys, shall complete a national assessment of capacity for carbon dioxide in accordance with the methodology.

(2)Geological verification

As part of the assessment under this subsection, the Secretary shall carry out a drilling program to supplement the geological data relevant to determining sequestration capacity of carbon dioxide in geological sequestration formations, including—

(A)well log data;

(B)core data; and

(C)fluid sample data.

(3)Partnership with other drilling programs

As part of the drilling program under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall enter, as appropriate, into partnerships with other entities to collect and integrate data from other drilling programs relevant to the sequestration of carbon dioxide in geological formations.

(4)Incorporation into NatCarb

(A)In general

On completion of the assessment, the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of the Interior shall incorporate the results of the assessment using—

(i)the NatCarb database, to the maximum extent practicable; or

(ii)a new database developed by the Secretary of Energy, as the Secretary of Energy determines to be necessary.

(B)Ranking

The database shall include the data necessary to rank potential sequestration sites for capacity and risk, across the United States, within each State, by formation, and within each basin.

(5)Report

Not later than 180 days after the date on which the assessment is completed, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report describing the findings under the assessment.

(6)Periodic updates

The national assessment developed under this section shall be updated periodically (including at least once every 5 years) to support public and private sector decisionmaking.

(g)Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.

§17271 Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Capacity Assessment

Summary

Title 42, §17271

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata