EPA Plan To Subject EOR To CCS Permits May Thwart NSPS, Critics Warn

摘要

EPA's draft guide for transitioning some enhanced oil recovery (EOR) wells to strict underground injection control (UIC) permits for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects is drawing strong criticisms from industry groups that say it could prompt well operators to refuse carbon dioxide (CO2) from utilities to escape the new regulatory burdens, undermining the agency's pending power plant rule requiring CCS. EOR operators have "made it clear" they will not purchase CO2 from utilities if it requires them to transition from a "Class Ⅱ" well to a "Class Ⅵ" well, the industry groups say in Feb. 28 comments, and as such the guidance could "have the effect of eliminating CCS as a viable compliance option" for utilities trying to comply with EPA's new source performance standards (NSPS) requiring coal power plants to install partial CCS.