CCS Could Unlock New Oil Production While Cutting Emissions

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) could play a crucial role in increasing oil production while permanently storing carbon dioxide, according to new guidance from the Global CCS Institute.

The institute has released a fact sheet explaining how CO₂-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) with CCS differs from conventional EOR and dedicated carbon storage projects.

The process involves capturing CO₂ from sources such as industrial facilities and power stations before transporting it to suitable oil fields. Once injected underground, the gas helps oil move towards production wells, while some of the gas remains trapped beneath the surface.

Any CO₂ that returns to the surface with extracted oil can be separated, treated, and injected underground again. Monitoring, reporting, and verification are used to measure the amount of CO₂ permanently stored.

The institute distinguishes this approach from traditional EOR, where the primary objective is increasing oil production, while dedicated storage projects focus solely on permanent CO₂ storage.