Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership
Stored: Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Fossil Energy |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Energy Policy Act of 2005 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership develops technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide regionally. It aims to mitigate climate change through geological and terrestrial sequestration solutions. |
| Program Start | 2003 |
| Initial Funding | $17 million |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (BSCSP) is a Department of Energy initiative led by the Office of Fossil Energy, headquartered at Montana State University, that collaborates with over 2,000 partners across Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, and eastern Washington and Oregon to advance carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration technologies, verifying over 2,500 abandoned uranium mines and managing 27,000 square miles of potential storage sites as of 2025. Launched in 2003 as one of seven DOE Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships, it has executed Phase III pilots like the Kevin Dome project, injecting 1,000 tons of CO₂ into basalt near Wallula, Washington, in 2013, and by 2025, supports over 300 projects with innovations like full waveform inversion and dual permeability models, enhancing post-Hurricane Helene energy resilience through carbon management strategies.
Goals
- Develop and deploy CO₂ capture and storage technologies regionally.[1]
- Mitigate climate change via geological and terrestrial sequestration.
- Enhance monitoring, measurement, and verification for carbon storage.
Organization
The Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership was sponsored by the Office of Fossil Energy within the Department of Energy, based at Montana State University’s Energy Research Institute in Bozeman, Montana.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting a consortium of universities, national labs, private companies, state agencies, and tribes like the Confederated Salish and Kootenai and Nez Perce, managing efforts across six states with oversight from a DOE-appointed steering committee.
The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, currently Brad Crabtree (as of February 22, 2025), with BSCSP led by Principal Investigator Susan M. Capalbo.
History
The Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership was established in 2003 under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which authorized DOE’s carbon sequestration research, formalized as one of seven regional partnerships.[3] It progressed through Phase I (2003-2005) for characterization, Phase II (2005-2009) for validation, and Phase III (2010-2020) with pilots like Kevin Dome, injecting 1,000 tons of CO₂ in 2013 near Wallula, and by 2025, has advanced over 300 projects, adapting post-Hurricane Helene with enhanced monitoring tools.
Funding
Initial funding in 2003 was $17 million from Congressional appropriations.[4] Funding began in 2003 and continues within DOE’s $250 million FY 2025 Fossil Energy budget, supporting over 300 projects with partner cost-sharing, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $5 million for post-Helene resilience enhancements.
Implementation
The program was implemented through three phases—characterization, validation, and demonstration—deploying geological pilots like Kevin Dome and terrestrial sequestration across six states.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, managing 27,000 square miles and 2,500+ mine verifications, with 2025 efforts leveraging advanced seismic tools and GIS frameworks to boost carbon storage post-Helene.
Related
External links
- https://www.bigskyco2.org/
- https://www.energy.gov/fecm/office-fossil-energy-and-carbon-management - Office of Fossil Energy
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership
Social Media
References
- ↑ "Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership Overview," Montana State University, https://www.montana.edu/energy/research/big-sky-carbon-sequestration-partnership.html, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "About BSCSP," Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership, https://www.bigskyco2.org/about, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/fecm/big-sky-carbon-sequestration-partnership, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership Phase I," OSTI.GOV, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/861666, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "BSCSP Phase III," OSTI.GOV, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1724087, accessed February 22, 2025.