The American Carbon Registry (ACR), a non-profit enterprise of Winrock International, has approved a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Methodology for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects for the measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emission reductions associated with capture and storage of CO₂ in geologic formations in the U.S. and Canada. The methodology was authored by Blue Strategies and approved through ACR’s public comment and scientific peer review process.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial processes or direct air capture of atmospheric CO₂, followed by compression, transport, and injection for permanent storage of CO₂ in deep underground geologic formations. By preventing CO₂ from large-scale industrial facilities from entering the atmosphere or removing CO₂ that currently resides in the atmosphere, CCS is a powerful tool for addressing climate change. Only anthropogenic CO₂ that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere under business-as-usual conditions is eligible to create credits under this methodology. The methodology applies to multiple CO₂ source types, including electric power plants equipped with pre-combustion, post-combustion, or oxy-fired technologies; industrial facilities such as natural gas production, fertilizer manufacturing, ethanol production; polygeneration facilities (facilities producing electricity and one or more of other commercial grade byproducts); and direct air capture (DAC) facilities. CO₂ transport may be by pipeline only.

While there are multiple options possible for geological storage, this methodology applies to enhanced oil and gas recovery projects only, in which CO₂ is injected to enhance production from hydrocarbon-producing reservoirs or currently non-producing reservoirs. Geologic storage is defined as the placement of CO₂ into a subsurface formation where it will remain safely and permanently stored. Accounting aspects of the methodology are based on the Greenhouse Gas Accounting Framework for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects, a multi-stakeholder process led by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, for which both ACR and Blue Strategies served as workgroup participants.

Version 2.0 is accepting public comment through November 1, 2022.