Plains CO₂ Reduction Carbon Sequestration Partnership – Characterization Phase
Project # 41982

Primary Performing Organization
University of North Dakota, Energy and Environmental Research Center

The Plains CO₂ Reduction Partnership (PCOR) is one of seven Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships created by the DOE in 2003 as part of a national plan to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.  The Regional Partnerships’ initiative is being implemented in three phases: the Characterization Phase (2003-2005), Validation Phase (2005-2009), and Deployment Phase (2008-2017). The main goals of the Characterization Phase were to collect data on CO₂ sources and sinks and develop the human capital to support and enable future carbon sequestration field tests and deployments. The partnerships also sought to evaluate and determine which of the numerous sequestration approaches that have emerged in the last few years are best suited for specific regions of the country. In addition, the partners began studying possible regulations and infrastructure requirements that would be needed should climate science indicate that sequestration be deployed on a wide scale in the future.

During the Characterization Phase the PCOR Partnership, led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, developed a suite of practical and environmentally sound strategies for carbon management in the heartland of North America – an area of 1.36 million square miles (352 million hectares) covering nine states and three Canadian provinces. 

The sequestration strategies developed by PCOR during the Characterization Phase were derived from reconnaissance assessments of the region’s sources, sinks, regulations, deployment issues, transportation, and capture and separation technologies as well as input from its partners. These findings are contained in a final report, as well as twenty-one topical reports, and a regional atlas. The underlying data collected during the Characterization Phase are housed in the PCOR Partnership’s Web-based, georeferenced Decision Support System (currently available to PCOR members only). PCOR Characterization Phase documents are available on NETL’s website, as well as the PCOR website.

Contact:
Project Manager: Darin Damiani, darin.damiani@netl.doe.gov

Related Papers and Publications:

• Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership Phase 1 Fact Sheet