The Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership of the Western United States

Abstract:

The Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership of the Western United States (CUSP) is one of four new regional carbon storage partnerships created in 2019 by the United States Department of Energy to accelerate commercial CO₂ storage in the United States. The CUSP includes members representing national laboratories, academia, state research agencies and industry in 13 states, and combines parts of several previous regional partnerships (see map). The CUSP leverages the capabilities, data, and expertise accumulated through years of research and dozens of projects throughout the western U.S. with the overall objectives of identifying the most promising combinations of CO₂ sources, storage reservoirs, transportation routes and industrial partners that will allow more rapid deployment of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) in the region.

The project scope encompasses collection, updating and synthesis of diverse extant data sets, complex data analysis, modeling, and scenario development to support more rapid implementation of commercial-scale CCUS. Our emphasis on collaboration, knowledge dissemination and technology transfer will engage and inform stakeholders with the data and knowledge necessary to undertake CCUS projects throughout the region.

One primary deliverable of the CUSP project is interactive maps and data products that delineate regions and specific targets having the best prospects for commercially-viable CCUS, and also highlight technical challenges and their effects on CCUS development. Readiness indices based on a number of factors will be developed to 1) help target the best areas for short-term, mid-term, and long-term CCUS projects, 2) identify potential improvements to make projects more economically/technically feasible, and 3) swiftly and cost-effectively graduate potential projects to short-term deployment. The project will examine and provide access to an unparalleled amount of spatial, economic, and engineering data across the entire CCUS supply chain.