Posted By: Madame Fleur

Nov. 25, 2008

Domestic drilling advocates label carbon sequestration as unproven while “renewable only” energy champions criticize it as shortsighted. Nonetheless, it is an energy option that the Department of Energy (DOE) wishes to pursue.

The Big Sky Partnership of Montana State University won a $66.9M grant from the DOE this week to complete carbon capture research in southern Wyoming to determine if carbon dioxide can be safely stored underground or if other storage means are necessary.

Carbon sequestration is an alternative energy technology designed to mitigate the harmful environmental effects of burning fossil fuels. Rather than releasing the carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuel into the atmosphere, it captures and stores the harmful greenhouse gas.

Tests are needed to determine where and how carbon dioxide can be safely stored. With this study, MSU hopes to show that the carbon dioxide gas can be liquefied and injected into porous, underground rock for long-term storage. If carbon sequestration is proven to deliver safe, permanent and economical results, coal-rich states like Montana could continue to enjoy abundant energy from their own fossil fuel-rich natural resources without risk of damaging the environment.

The DOE award will fund a commercial-scale, eight-year carbon sequestration study that could begin as early as next year. Two years will be spent building infrastructure and drilling an 11,000-foot well into the sandstone rock layer west of Big Piney, Wyoming. Once the infrastructure is in place, researchers will inject more than a million metric tons of CO2 into the underground formation.

Lee Spangler, director of the Big Sky Partnership and head of MSU's Energy Research Institute, said the award opens up important opportunities for the region, state and university.

"It provides the opportunity to validate carbon sequestration as one of the technologies to reduce greenhouse gases and help reduce climate change, and it illustrates the potential to use the region's vast energy resources as a path to energy independence in a climate-friendly fashion," Spangler said.

Recently re-elected Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has fought loudly for funding to study the usefulness of carbon sequestration in Montana. Schweitzer is considered a leading proponent of clean carbon technologies and has touted the potential of carbon sequestration since taking office in 2004.

"This project is one of the most important things to the governor," said Eric Stern, senior counselor to Gov. Schweitzer. "We believe that this is the first step toward making Montana a major energy center," Stern said.

We in Montana share our Governor’s optimism for this project and are proud of the great work being done by the Big Sky Partnership at MSU. So, on that note, go Cats!!