Posted on September 7, 2021
The Port of Corpus Christi Authority and the Texas General Land Office have signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating their intention to co-develop a carbon dioxide storage solution in the Texas Coastal Bend area in support of national decarbonization targets. The solution would involve infrastructure to transport and permanently store CO2 captured by various industrial target sources in the greater Port of Corpus Christi area.
“Utilizing new, innovative carbon storage methods is a critical step in demonstrating that energy development and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive,” said Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. “This partnership will ensure that Texas energy developers continue to responsibly utilize resources for future generations, as well as provide good paying jobs, and abundant and affordable energy. We are excited to establish this partnership with the Port of Corpus Christi and look forward to its future success.”
This is not the GLO’s first move on carbon capture. It recently issuing a Request for Proposals from entities interested in constructing carbon storage infrastructure on GLO lands in Jefferson County, Texas.
“The Port of Corpus Christi is uniquely suited geographically and commercially to become the nation’s premier hub for carbon management capture and storage,” said Jeff Pollack, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer for the Port of Corpus Christi. “We have a high density of industrial CO2 target sources, a robust network of existing pipeline infrastructure, and we own a full transect of land from our customers’ fence lines out to GLO waters in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Academics from the University of Texas at Austin have mapped the geology of the Texas Gulf Coast and determined this region is ideal for injection and storage of pressurized CO2. With today’s announcement, the GLO and the Port of Corpus Christi have identified the Texas Coastal Bend region as the next focal point for developing a scalable carbon management solution.
“The energy transition is a strategic focus in hitting both commercial and environmental targets for the Port of Corpus Christi,” said Sean Strawbridge, CEO for the Port of Corpus Christi. “We are sending a clear message to the American people, to our industry partners, and to the global energy marketplace that the state of Texas and the Port of Corpus Christi intend to establish a large scale CCS management hub and we thank Texas Land Commissioner Bush and his staff for their aligned leadership and commitment to achieving this goal.”
