28/09/2026 by Cameron Clarke
The Global CCS Institute has issued guidance for how carbon capture and storage (CCS) could be integrated with active oil production operations.
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR), where the physical or chemical properties of a reservoir are changed to increase oil production, is already commonly used in the industry. Permanently sequestering captured carbon in rock formations, usually depleted oil fields, is also an established concept. Where CO2-EOR differs is that carbon is used in active fields to boost production.
Under the concept, carbon is collected from industrial facilities like steel works and power plants and then transported to facilities on appropriate fields. The gas is then injected underground to increase the pressure pushing oil towards production wells. Some of this gas remains underground, but some will also be extracted with the produced oil. This can be separated before being treated for re-injection. Monitoring mechanisms can then be used to track how much carbon is permanently stored.
This is potentially useful for companies like ExxonMobil, which makes the Mobil DTE hydraulic oil. Exxon has invested heavily in CCS while maintaining oil and gas production. The Global CCS Institute argues that CO2-EOR could help ease the transition towards dedicated carbon storage by benefiting existing operations.
Nevertheless, various factors will determine the feasibility of the technology in particular cases. In addition to geological factors, production sites will need access to captured carbon and the infrastructure to transport it. Regulators may also have their own requirements. The institute also emphasises that any climate benefit should consider a project’s overall emissions rather than focusing on just carbon storage.
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