OFFICE OF FOSSIL ENERGY

DOE has created a 

network of seven 

Regional Carbon 

Sequestration 

Partnerships (RCSPs) 

to help develop the 

technology, 

infrastructure, and 

regulations to 

implement large-scale 

CO2 storage (also 

called carbon 

sequestration) in 

different regions and 

geologic formations 

within the Nation. 

Collectively, the seven 

RCSPs represent 

regions encompassing:

• 97 percent of coal-fired CO2 emissions;

• 97 percent of industrial CO2 emissions;

• 96 percent of the total land mass; and

essentially all the geologic sequestration sites in the U.S. potentially available for carbon 

storage.

We launched this initiative in 2003. It's being completed in phases (I, II, and III) and forms the 

centerpiece of national efforts to develop the infrastructure and knowledge base needed to 

place carbon storage and utilization technologies on the path to commercialization.

Phase I: Characterization

During the first phase of the program, the Partnerships characterized the potential for CO2

storage in deep oil-, gas-, coal-, and saline-bearing formations. This work led to the 

Clean Coal

Carbon 

Capture and 

Storage

Capture

Storage

Utilization

MVA

Regional 

Partnerships

Oil & Gas

Home » Science & Innovation » Carbon Capture and Storage » Regional Partnerships

REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

Regional Partnerships | Department of Energy Page 1 of 3

http://energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/carbon-capture-and-storage-research/regional-part... 7/26/2015
publication of the Carbon Sequestration Atlas of the United States and Canada, which was 

last updated in December 2012.

Phase II: Validation

In the program's second phase, the Partnerships confirmed and validated regional 

sequestration opportunities through small-scale (less than 500,000 metric tons total) 

geological storage tests. Twenty small-scale geologic storage tests were conducted that 

collected additional data to:

• confirm storage and injectivity estimates;

• validate reservoir simulation models;

• demonstrate effective monitoring, verification and accounting methods; and

• develop guidelines for well completion, operations, and closure.

Phase III: Development

In the third phase, the RCSPs are working to implement eight large-scale (one million metric 

tons or more total) geologic storage and utilization projects that will demonstrate the longterm, effective, and safe storage and utilization of CO2 in the major geologic formations 

throughout the United States and portions of Canada. Phase III efforts are underway 

throughout the partnerships and injections are in process at six sites. The tests will:

• Provide scientific data to validate the capacity estimates to within +/- 30% for deep saline 

formations, where little data currently exists.

• Assess the effects of reservoir heterogeneity on the performance of the storage operations 

to contact the pore space and maintain injectivity.

• Validate the reservoir models against field data; implement mitigation strategies to reduce 

potential hazards; and verify the fate of the injected CO2 using the most advanced 

monitoring networks applied to date.

• Finally, these projects will demonstrate that the projects are representative of the regional 

geology to store large volumes of CO2 emissions generated from major point sources.

The seven RCSPs are comprised of more than 400 diverse organizations covering 43 states 

and four Canadian provinces. Click on each of the links below to learn more about the 

activities of each RCSP.

• Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (Big Sky)

• Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership (PCOR)

• Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC)

• Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP)

• Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB)

• Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP)

• West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB)

Regional Partnerships | Department of Energy Page 2 of 3

http://energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/carbon-capture-and-storage-research/regional-part... 7/26/2015
STAY CONNECTED

ABOUT THIS SITE

Web Policies

Privacy

No Fear Act

Whistleblower Protection

Information Quality

Open Gov

Accessibility

ENERGY DEPARTMENT

Budget & Performance

Directives, Delegations & 

Requirements

FOIA

Inspector General

Privacy Program

Small Business

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The White House

USA.gov

Office of Fossil Energy

Forrestal Building

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20585

202-586-6660

CAREERS & INTERNSHIPS

SCIENCE & INNOVATION

CONTACT US

Regional Partnerships | Department of Energy Page 3 of 3

http://energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/carbon-capture-and-storage-research/regional-part... 7/26/2015