Geological potential

Geological conditions are favourable for CO₂ storage in B.C. The Northeast B.C. region is a likely candidate for initial industrial CCUS projects in the province due to the presence of oil and gas activities which can leverage existing infrastructure and expertise.

Available geoscience research for CCUS development

Northeast B.C. has a long and detailed history of geological research and data collection. The Northeast BC Geological Carbon Capture and Storage Atlas, released in January 2023, used this information and determined an estimate of substantial CO₂ storage capacity of 4.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ in depleted oil and gas pools and deep, salt-water aquifers in this area. At current rates of emissions from all industries in B.C., this estimate of storage potential means there is enough capacity to permanently store over 300 years worth of provincial industrial CO₂ emissions.

How the government is supporting new geoscience research

The geology for storage potential in other areas of the province is less understood. B.C. is supporting geoscience research of basins across the province to fill knowledge gaps in assessing carbon storage opportunities. These research studies aim to evaluate the potential for the geological storage of CO₂ in three basins across the province: the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, the Georgia Basin, and the Nechako Basin. The findings from the various projects will be shared between December 2024 and January 2029.

The following is a list of geoscience research presently being funded by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation in partnership with the Government of Canada, Indigenous Nations, geoscience research agencies, industry, and academic institutions. As these studies advance, details will be made available by the agencies leading the research.

1. Northeast BC Granite Wash Carbon Storage Assessment – Lead Agency: Geoscience BC
2. Central Interior BC Carbon Storage Assessment – Lead Agency: Geoscience BC
3. NEBC Geothermal-CO₂ Project – Lead Agency: Tu Deh Kah Geothermal
4. CCS Assessment for the Lower Mainland BC