Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that safely captures CO₂ at industrial sources, transports it and injects it permanently deep into the earth, diverting it from the atmosphere and limiting the impact it has on the environment. Large-scale carbon capture opportunities are in the works around the world, from Houston to Rotterdam to Singapore.

In the greater Houston area, infrastructure would be designed to transport CO₂ captured at local industrial facilities and inject it thousands of feet underground into a carefully selected geological formation where it can be safely and permanently stored. Once underground, this CO₂ would gradually harden and lose its properties as a greenhouse gas.

ExxonMobil and other companies believe a large-scale development of CCS in Houston could store up to 50 million metric tons per year of CO₂ by 2030 and double that amount by 2040.

Energy Factor spoke with Dr. Ganesh Dasari, a researcher and engineer at ExxonMobil, to better understand how CO₂ storage sites are carefully and rigorously selected. With a doctorate in civil engineering from Cambridge University and a lead role in locating potential CO₂ storage sites for ExxonMobil, Dr. Dasari is an authority on the many safety considerations in carbon storage planning.