Resource Assessment
1. Geologic Suitability
CaRBTAP focuses on assessing the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) in the Pacific Northwest for its potential to support commercial-scale carbon storage. Spanning 210,000 km² across eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, western Idaho, and northern Nevada, the CRBG is one of the world’s largest preserved continental flood basalt formations. With a thickness of up to 4.5 km and a volume exceeding 53,700 mi³, the CRBG features porous flow tops and bottoms capable of storing CO₂. Conservative estimates suggest the region could store over 100 Gt of CO₂, equivalent to 20 times the United States’ annual emissions. Its six key stratigraphic units, including the Grande Ronde, Wanapum, and Saddle Mountain Basalts, have been mapped extensively, showcasing their carbon storage potential.
The project team will expand on key carbon storage initiatives, including the HERO and CANstore CarbonSAFE projects, where PNNL plays a significant role, and Iceland’s ongoing CO₂ injection efforts by Carbfix. Leveraging these advancements, the team will create a regional geologic model and conduct numerical simulations to analyze the CRBG’s subsurface properties. These efforts aim to ensure safe and scalable carbon storage while contributing to global climate mitigation goals.
2. CO2 Emissions and Carbon Management Infrastructure
Initial work sheds light on the potential capturable CO2 from industrial and power facilities in the CRBG region. The map demonstrates existing CO2 sources and existing pipeline infrastructure overlying the CRB and throughout the PNW (see Figure). In part due to its extensive clean and renewable energy sources and infrastructure (Edwards & Celia, 2018; Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 2023; Washington State Department of Ecology, 2024), this region emits much less CO2 than others in the US, with approximately 26.4 MtCO2/yr of capturable emitted from industrial facilities within 25 miles of the CRB according to the CO2NCORD database (Eidbo, 2023).
The bulk (19.4 MtCO2/yr) of these emissions come from natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants (12.8 MtCO2/yr) and pulp & paper facilities (6.6 MtCO2/yr), with a smaller remnant of fertilizer, agriculture, ethanol, and cement. Regions of Oregon and Washington not overlying the CRB emit an additional 10.8 MtCO2/yr, with a significant portion from oil refineries and pipeline compression stations. Therefore, despite the relative lack of conventional CO2 point sources, there is an opportunity to decarbonize nearly 71% of statewide emissions for Washington and Oregon by developing CM projects in and around the CRBG.
3. Policy and Regulatory Frameworks
States in the Pacific Northwest and Canada have set ambitious and aggressive climate commitments, which demonstrate an appetite among regulatory agencies and the public for lasting carbon management solutions. For example, Washington, Oregon, California, and British Columbia already have clean fuels standards (currently, nowhere else in the U.S. does, though several states are in the process). However, there is a need to connect the dots between these policies and carbon management, and to smooth the path for eventual deployment with proactive engagement and dialogue. The main goal of CaRBTAP is to implement effective strategies to transition those challenges to opportunities that put the Pacific Northwest in prime position to develop a thriving, carbon-negative energy economy that supports and enhances existing state policy.
4. Public Sentiment
By offering pro-active engagement and benefits to stakeholders of clean energy initiatives (such as the Ankeron DAC hub and the PNWH2 hub), CaRBTAP underscores the importance of delivering tangible benefits of carbon management to local communities. This strategic pivot towards inclusive benefit sharing is crucial for reducing opposition and showcasing the direct benefits of carbon management to the community, thereby aligning the project with the broader decarbonization objectives of the PNW’s power and industrial sectors.
To achieve this alignment, the project emphasizes pro-active engagement with local and regional communities and the elevation of Tribal Nation involvement. By integrating carbon-negative technologies and collaborating with regional development and climate efforts, including the Ankeron DAC Hub, PNWH2 Hydrogen Hub, CarbonSAFE programs, ARPA-E, and other basalt projects in the region, the strategy aims to build strong, robust public support.