After the CO2 is compressed, it is transported through a short pipe to an injection site near the Milton R. Young Station. There, it is sent more than a mile underground to be stored safely and permanently in North Dakota's ideal geologic formations.
After CO2 is captured from the Young Station and compressed, it is transported to a nearby injection site.
The injected CO2 safely descends to the storage zone, which is nearly a mile from sources of drinking water. The CO2 is locked into the storage zone by impermeable cap rock, which has been thoroughly researched and studied.
The CO2 travels 5,000 to 10,000 feet underground specially designed piping. When it meets the selected storage zone, the CO2 spreads out into the permeable sandstone rock layer.
The CO2 rises in the storage zone, but it is stopped and held by impermeable cap rock above and below the permeable sandstone layer. Over time, the injected CO2 dissolves onto the rock grains, trapping it further.
Specially designed piping is used to safely transport and inject CO2 approximately one mile underground in geologic formations. The injection and storage sites are continuously monitored using both fiberoptic and ultrasonic technologies to ensure the CO2 remains in place and operations are conducted safely and efficiently.
The CO₂ rises in the rock layer, but it is stopped and held by impermeable cap rock above (and below) the permeable sandstone. Over time, the injected CO₂ dissolves and begins to mineralize onto the rock grains, trapping it further.
Absolutely. North Dakota has ideal geology for carbon storage. Carbon storage professionals will only select storage zones that tick all the boxes of SAFE and PERMANENT storage. Fortunately, such a site is located near the Young Station – eliminating the need to pipe captured CO₂ many miles away to an approved storage location. Project Tundra’s site is already permitted and is currently the largest CO₂ storage facility in the U.S.
Project Tundra’s CO₂ storage facility offers these necessary attributes:
CONTAINMENT – sealing or cap rocks above the storage zone
CAPACITY – more than enough space to hold all of the injected CO₂
STABILITY – no perceptible geologic faults in the surrounding rock
DEPTH – ample barriers between the storage zone and sources of drinking water
CHEMISTRY – rock compatible with CO₂ injection
PRESSURE – injection pressure won’t break rock layers
Before a storage project can be approved by the North Dakota regulatory authority, the project team must first provide proof that the permanent storage container is safe. Plans must be created (and defended) for:
Five Areas of Continuous Monitoring
Absolutely. North Dakota has ideal geology for carbon storage. In fact, the state has the capacity to safely store 252 billion tons of CO2 underground – equivalent to 50 years of all energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States. Project Tundra is fortunate that safe and permanent CO2 storage is available in geologic formations directly beneath the capture facility – eliminating the need to pipe captured CO₂ many miles away to an approved storage location. Project Tundra’s site is already permitted and is currently the largest CO₂ storage facility in the U.S.
Project Tundra’s CO₂ storage facility offers these necessary attributes:
Before a storage project can be approved by the North Dakota regulatory authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the project team must first provide proof that the permanent storage facility is safe. Plans must be approved for:
Five Areas of Continuous Monitoring