在美国环境保护署 (EPA) 发布了 CRC 名为 Carbon TerraVault (CTV) 的碳管理业务的 VI 级井许可证草案后，加州资源公司(CRC) 距离在 Elk Hills 油田捕集和封存 CO ₂的目标又近了一步。 ）。

这些油井位于加利福尼亚州贝克斯菲尔德以西约 20 英里处，许可草案正在征求公众意见。计划举行四次公开研讨会和一次公开听证会。

CRC 首席执行官弗朗西斯科·莱昂 (Francisco Leon) 在 12 月 20 日的新闻稿中表示：“这对加州来说是一个重要的里程碑，因为它正在努力实现其雄心勃勃的气候目标。” “我们致力于支持该州实现碳中和，并为所有加州人创造一个更可持续的未来。”

如果获得所需的监管批准，该公司将有权在加利福尼亚州的一个枯竭油气田钻探第一口井，用于地下 CO _2封存。计划包括以每年约 146 万吨 (MT) 的速度向位于加利福尼亚州克恩县的 Elk Hill 26-R 水库注入 CO _{2 。}CRC 在新闻稿中表示，该水库是 CTV I 碳捕获和封存 (CCS) 库的一部分，估计容量高达 38 MMmt。

EPA 提议发放四口 VI 级地下注入控制许可证来建造和运营这些井（每口井都有许可证），授权在约 6,000 英尺的深度注入 CO ₂ 。四口井中的三口将是新钻探的以注入碳排入地下，其中一口井是现有的注入井，将转换为 VI 级井。

“在对 CTV 在其许可证申请中提交的所有信息以及操作标准、监测要求和现有地质环境完成彻底的技术审查后，EPA 确定 VI 类 UIC 许可证草案授权的活动可以保护美国环保局表示，根据《安全饮用水法》的要求，必须使用地下水源。

克恩县规划和自然资源部还发布了该项目的环境影响报告草案，开放供公众审查和评论。

California Resources Corp. (CRC) moved closer to its goal of capturing and storing CO₂ at the Elk Hills Field after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft Class VI well permits for CRC’s carbon management business called Carbon TerraVault (CTV).

The draft permits for the wells, to be located about 20 miles west of Bakersfield, California, are open for public comment. Four public workshops and a public hearing are scheduled.

“This is a significant milestone for California as it moves to attain its ambitious climate goals,” CRC CEO Francisco Leon said in a Dec. 20 news release. “We are committed to supporting the state in reaching carbon neutrality and developing a more sustainable future for all Californians.”

If required regulatory approvals are secured, the company will have permission to drill California’s first wells for underground CO₂ sequestration in a depleted oil and gas field. Plans include injecting CO₂ at a rate of about 1.46 million metric tons (MT) per annum into Elk Hill’s 26-R reservoir located in California’s Kern County. The reservoir, part of the CTV I carbon capture and storage (CCS) vault, has an estimated capacity of up to 38 MMmt, CRC said in the release.

EPA has proposed issuing four Class VI Underground Injection Control permits to construct and operate the wells—one permit for each well—authorizing injection of CO₂ at a depth of about 6,000 ft. Three of the four wells will be newly drilled to inject carbon into the ground, while one well is an existing injection well that will be converted to a Class VI well.

“After completing a thorough technical review of all information submitted by CTV in its permit application, as well as the operational standards, monitoring requirements and existing geologic setting, EPA has determined that the activities authorized under the Draft Class VI UIC permits are protective of underground sources of drinking water as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act,” the EPA said.

Kern County’s Planning and Natural Resources Department also released the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, which is open for public review and comment.