Pre-feasibility study of CCS in western Nebraska

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has conducted a pre-feasibility study for a commercial-scale carbon dioxide (CO2) geologic storage complex in western Nebraska, integrated with potential CO2 capture at the coal-fired Gerald Gentleman Station (GGS). This pre-feasibility project has been executed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) CarbonSAFE (Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise) Program, where projects are required to demonstrate the potential to capture and store at least 50 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 over a minimum 25-year operational period. Using publicly available data, this study has shown that western Nebraska has potential to host a commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. However, three key challenges would need to be overcome. Firstly, the business case for deploying CCS projects is uncertain; recently announced federal tax credits and sales for enhanced oil recovery might not cover full project costs. Secondly, the potential dedicated storage site defined in this study is at a low level of readiness to support a CCS project. Thirdly, public outreach would be a vital element in western Nebraska, where sensitivities around such environmental issues as water resource protection and pipeline construction would need to be carefully addressed.