California Resources Corporation and its carbon management subsidiary, Carbon TerraVault (CTV), have made history by receiving the first-ever Class VI well permits granted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This approval allows the injection and long-term underground storage of CO2 in the 26R reservoir at Elk Hills, California.
The Class VI permits are a major step forward for CCS technology in reducing emissions and driving California’s clean energy future.
This will be the 26R reservoir, a key component of the Carbon TerraVault Joint Venture. Although a depleted oil and gas field, it can still store about 38 million metric tons of CO2 long-term. The facility will inject a significant 1.46 million metric tons of CO2 in a given year, helping cut industrial emissions sharply around the state.
California Resources Corporation owns 51% of the CTV JV, while the Canadian firm Brookfield holds the remaining 49%.
A Landmark Achievement in Carbon Management
Francisco Leon, President and CEO of California Resources Corporation, said, “This milestone underscores our leadership in the carbon capture and storage sector and highlights our capability to deliver carbon management solutions to key industrial partners across the state.”
The 26R reservoir, combined with another depleted field, makes up the fully licensed Carbon TerraVault I storage site for CO2. This approval is the first EPA-issued Class VI permit for permanent CO2 storage in the US, highlighting CCS’s growing potential.
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CCS Technology: A Key to Reducing Industrial Emissions
The issuance of the Class VI permits highlights the vital role of CCS technology in California’s fight against climate change. By using depleted reservoirs for CO2 storage, CRC and CTV are helping meet the demand for scalable industrial emission solutions.
California aims for net-zero emissions not just by cutting energy use, but also by adopting large-scale CO2 capture technologies. The EPA’s approval further reinforces this strategy, positioning both CRC and CTV as pioneers in the carbon management space.
