An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?
Summary
California began injecting carbon dioxide underground at Elk Hills oil field to help fight climate change, but the state has not yet set its own rules for monitoring and managing this process. This raises questions about who is responsible if problems occur, as different agencies share oversight and the financial protections for cleanup are unclear.Key Facts
- California lawmakers ordered rules for underground carbon storage in 2020, aiming to protect safety and the environment.
- The deadline to finalize these rules was January 2025, but the state has not adopted them yet.
- California Resources Corp. started injecting carbon at Elk Hills in May, the first such project in the U.S. approved by the EPA.
- Federal EPA permits cover some oversight but do not fully address state concerns or stricter standards California could set.
- Different agencies share regulatory roles: the state’s air board, CalGEM (oil and gas regulator), and EPA.
- It is unclear who is responsible if carbon leaks, especially through old oil wells.
- The project is important for California’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially from hard-to-clean industries.
- Staffing shortages delayed the air board’s rulemaking, and the project’s environmental review faces legal challenges.
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