The Value of Third-Party Data Collection in Your CO2 Monitoring System

Many activities of modern human life have altered the carbon cycle; power generating facilities, petrochemical plants, cement production plants, cars and trucks, industrial processes, and agricultural practices all produce CO2 and release it into the environment. Some of this CO2 is naturally sequestered in plants, soils, and the ocean, but to offset these increasing emissions, additional forms of carbon sequestration will be necessary. That’s where geologic CO2 sequestration, also known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), comes into play. CCS is the process of storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations. To do this, the CO2 is usually pressurized until it becomes a liquid, then it’s injected into porous rock formations in geologic basins.

CO2 sequestration is important because power plants may need to put CO2 into the earth rather than releasing it to protect the Earth’s atmosphere, but there are currently no federal environmental regulations that are specific to CCS projects or associated pipelines. However, there are many federal environmental laws and regulations, often in coordination with state regulatory agencies, that enable federal agencies to influence efforts across the CCS value chain, such as The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and the Clean Water Act. 

In addition, The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) requires large GHG emission sources, fuel and industrial gas suppliers, and carbon dioxide and oxide injection sites in the US to report greenhouse gas (GHG) data and other relevant information, including information regarding the capture, supply, and underground injection of carbon dioxide and oxide. Regulations governing CCS provide a mechanism for facilities to monitor their activities and report the amounts of carbon dioxide they sequester to the EPA. 

Before CO2 injection, targeted reservoirs must be modeled using multiscale and multiphysics numerical simulations coupled with field observations to assess the reservoir’s ability to securely sequester CO2. It’s necessary to monitor the evolution of CO2, the reservoir, and the caprock both before and after the injection. To ensure the process has been done correctly and no CO2 is escaping into the atmosphere, a CO2 monitoring system is required. 

Using a CO2 Monitoring System in Monitoring & Verification

Monitoring 

A CO2 monitoring system is necessary throughout the lifecycle of a project to: 

• Characterize the suitability of sites before an injection project begins

• Monitor an injection site (e.g., formation pressure, plume-spread, leak detection, etc.) while the injection is in progress and during immediate post-closure operations

• Operate a site safely and effectively

• Assess possible site expansions

• Remediate problems at all stages of the life cycle

• Determine when a site should move from post-closure to long-term stewardship

• Monitor during long-term stewardship

So, how does monitoring & verification (M&V) work? It starts with sensor monitoring, as this must occur before CO2 sequester sites are set up to understand the baseline emissions of the earth. Then, each site’s CO2 levels will need to be monitored again after initial setup to make sure the CO2 is successfully being sequestered. By subtracting the baseline, you ensure there’s no false measurement of CO2. 

While CO2 monitoring is undoubtedly important, it isn’t without its challenges. Traditionally, monitoring would require a technician to visit each of the sites and record the CO2 reading, requiring regular travel to and from the location, and a reliance on manual readings that suffer from inconsistencies (human error, different recording methodologies, etc.). Luckily, there is a simple solution. Using a remote CO2 monitoring system saves time and money on travel, eliminates human error, and increases the number of readings you can take each week, improving the overall dataset. 

Data Retention

When you rely on a CO2 monitoring system, there is a lot of value in using a third party. CCS projects are increasing in frequency and global significance as regulatory entities, investors, and shareholders further drive the demand for decarbonization and sustainability, but since relatively few CCS projects have been completed to date, owner companies don’t have access to reliable cost estimates and performance data necessary to inform decision-making. 

There is a need for raw, unmodified data, both for your own future CCS projects and for the industry as a whole – CCS project data collected directly from project teams and participating companies is incredibly valuable. The ability to retain the original dataset allows you to utilize data for modeling on numerous occasions, normalizing it for time, location, and currency differences to enable robust analysis. That’s why when you use EDG to collect site data, you’ll always be able to access the raw, unmodified sensor data – if there’s ever a question about the original data, you’ll have all of the information you need to answer it. 

Combine Disparate Data Sources

Proper monitoring requires gathering data for many different sensors positioned around the site, but collecting and aggregating data from these sensors can be difficult if they aren’t all from the same manufacturer. With EDG, this isn’t an issue. EDG enables devices from different manufacturers (and devices with different protocols) to interface, allowing the data to be merged and viewed together by the software. This makes it far easier to create applications, as it reduces costs, time, and ultimately, headaches.

Verification

The connection between M&V and regulation is in the word “verification” – how monitoring results demonstrates to regulators and other stakeholders that their requirements are being met and CO2 is successfully being contained. The problem is that organizations may be tempted to alter their data to make the results look more favorable. So, to prove that the data they’re presenting is accurate, organizations can opt for third-party verification. EDG, for instance, stores the raw data collected by remote sensors, so even though organizations have the ability to alter the data on their end, you can prove your due diligence by providing raw, unmodified data derived by an unbiased third party. 

Monitor And Verify Your Data With EDG

EDG not only allows organizations to monitor their CO2 sequestration sites from anywhere in the world, but can act as a third party to verify their results to stakeholders and regulating bodies. Our IoT cloud infrastructure allows devices from different manufacturers to interface with one another, spares technicians from having to go to the field to take readings in person, and stores the raw data so you can use it to make deeper analyses and prove your findings. Need a better remote CO2 monitoring system – one that offers third-party verification? Contact EDG today!