North Dakota CarbonSAFE

Leveraging the success of the PCOR Partnership activities, the EERC and its partners were able to bypass the CarbonSAFE Initiative’s pre-feasibility phase (Phase I) and start with the feasibility study (Phase II). 

The Phase II feasibility study ran from mid-2017 through early 2020. The major activity in the project was drilling two deep exploratory holes—one in Oliver County and one in Mercer County. The exploratory holes allowed researchers to collect geologic core samples, water, and other rock data from deep underground to better assess whether the deep subsurface geology could be used for safe, permanent storage of CO₂. After the data extraction was complete, the holes were plugged with cement and the land restored in accordance with state regulations. The information from the exploratory holes, along with other data collected from the fieldwork, guided the development of computer-based geologic models and CO₂ injection simulation scenarios.  

North Dakota CarbonSAFE Phase II also investigated the public acceptance of CCUS in central North Dakota, economic feasibility, state and federal regulations, and potential risks associated with permanent geologic storage. 

In the fall of 2020, the North Dakota CarbonSAFE project began Phase III of the DOE initiative. Phase III is a 3-year effort that covers site characterization and permitting. The major planned activities are the drilling of another exploratory well and conducting a geophysical survey in the area around Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Milton R. Young Station. The goal of these two activities is to gather various geologic data on three sandstone layers about 1 to 2 miles below the surface. These geologic data are needed to address the North Dakota CO₂ storage facility permit applications that Minnkota Power Cooperative plans to submit to North Dakota state entities to develop a geologic site for permanent CO₂ storage as part of Project Tundra.