Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Development

Battelle and Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) have respectively led the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP) and Midwest Geologic Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) efforts since 2003. As the current RCSP efforts reach conclusion, the new U.S. Dept. of Energy Funding Opportunity Announcement FOA-2000 will transition these programs into Regional Initiatives with funding for up to four programs nationally. Under this effort, the regions covered by the MRCSP and MGSC will be combined into a single new initiative and may include the inclusion of some new states to cover the Midwest and Northeast. Battelle and ISGS will lead the technical work under a CO-PI arrangement. Under this new Regional Initiative, Geological Research Team Members will share, preserve and advance the important geologic mapping, characterization and communication efforts that have been carried out under the RCSP program to accelerate CCUS deployment. The research efforts will be integrated into the new Regional Initiative’s Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO). The overall effort described requires five years beginning in October 1, 2019, with the majority of the research being completed within the first three years. In order to put together an effective team to address the research challenges in the FOA, Battelle and ISGS are engaging State Geological Surveys and Universities across the area covered by the Initiative, Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) is being asked to submit a proposal to address the technical issues covered in the SOPO that will be included in the larger DOE proposal.