Tucson Standard

The University of Arizona's Arizona Geological Survey is spearheading a $12 million study to assess the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide in the Harquahala basin, located roughly 60 miles west of Phoenix. The initiative, funded by the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, aims to identify geological sites in the United States suitable for carbon dioxide storage.

Carbon dioxide from power plants and other sources can be captured, compressed, and injected into deep saline reservoirs as a means to mitigate atmospheric carbon emissions. This approach has been used globally for natural gases and liquid petroleum gas storage.

Starting in March, the CarbonSAFE II project could potentially reduce Arizona's carbon emissions by 25% over the next four decades. It involves collaboration between experts from several institutions, including the University of Arizona (U of A), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, University of Utah, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Of the total funding, U of A will receive $9 million to research sedimentary and volcanic rocks in the Harquahala basin that are promising for carbon storage.

The Arizona Geological Survey will lead technical evaluations and data integration efforts while U of A's Office of Societal Impact assesses community impacts. "This particular location is advantageous due to multiple factors," said Tawnya Wilson, co-principal investigator at the Arizona Geological Survey. She cited promising rock formations, proximity to power stations emitting carbon dioxide, access to transportation infrastructure with existing pipelines, abundant saline groundwater, and low earthquake risk as key advantages.

Building on 15 years of research at the Arizona Geological Survey and prior Department of Energy initiatives, this project will employ well drilling and advanced geological methods like 2D seismic imaging. These technologies will help evaluate the basin's capacity for storing carbon dioxide safely over time.

"This comprehensive data collection will help us determine if this site is suitable for long-term carbon storage and support our efforts to meet the government's 2050 carbon emission reduction goals," Wilson stated. The project anticipates capturing around 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over three decades based on nearby emitters' output.