Product Summary

Project Development and Permitting Strategies from the First Wave of Geologic CO₂ Storage Projects in North Dakota

The North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) has granted the first three geologic carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage facility permits through the state's Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI Primacy Program. These first landmark permits coupled with the prudent regulatory environment, excellent geology, and stacked storage potential of North Dakota have resulted in a broad range of commercial geologic CO₂ storage projects being advanced in the region. The projects being deployed include capture from coal-fired power generation, ethanol production, and natural gas compression, processing, and generation. The lessons learned from these projects at all stages of development can be used to support future commercial carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) development in the region. Lessons learned from the development of approved North Dakota UIC Class VI permits have been integrated with the PCOR Partnership's adaptive management approach (AMA) to generate a generalized timeline for implementing a geologic CO₂ storage project that accounts for the permitting process. This project development timeline, shown in Figure ES-1, comprises several phases: site screening, feasibility, project design/permit application, regulatory review of permit, investment/construction, and operations. Despite the range of CCUS project types, each follows a similar development arc and timetable that consist of common stages and decision points. While the timeline shown in Figure ES-1 is specific to the North Dakota UIC Class VI permitting process, these development stages are applicable to all geologic CO₂ storage projects.