Hoeven Secures $5 Million for CO2 Storage Project in Williston Basin

Senator John Hoeven has successfully secured a $5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the University of North Dakota’s (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC).

This funding will support the development of carbon dioxide (CO2) storage facilities in the Williston Basin, further solidifying North Dakota’s leadership in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies.

The funding comes as part of Senator Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to position North Dakota as a global leader in the deployment of CCUS initiatives.

Through his role on the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has been instrumental in advancing financial support for projects like this, ensuring that the state can continue to capitalize on its abundant coal, oil, and gas resources while addressing environmental concerns.

The award is part of the DOE’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) program, which Hoeven has actively supported.

It will bolster the work of the EERC-led Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership, a project that previously received $5 million in funding secured by Hoeven in 2021.

The PCOR Partnership is at the forefront of developing CCUS projects across regions such as the Bakken, leveraging North Dakota’s unique geological advantages.

In his advocacy for this funding, Hoeven emphasized the EERC’s expertise and long-standing leadership in carbon storage technologies. He highlighted North Dakota’s pioneering legal and regulatory framework, which he helped establish, to support CCUS initiatives.

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Notably, Hoeven played a key role in securing the state’s regulatory primacy over Class VI wells for geologic CO2 storage—a status that North Dakota was the first in the nation to achieve.

Senator Hoeven underscored the significance of this funding, noting that it would enable the EERC to continue providing its technical expertise as companies work to develop carbon storage facilities across the basin.

He highlighted North Dakota’s unique geology in the Bakken region, as well as the robust legal and regulatory infrastructure that has been developed at both the state and federal levels.

“Whether it’s supporting our coal-fired power plants, facilities like the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, or our extensive oil and gas industry, EERC and North Dakota are leading the way in developing CCUS technologies,” said Hoeven.

“This $5 million award provides continued support for the partnerships we’ve built to advance these efforts. It will enable EERC to provide its technical expertise as companies develop basin-wide carbon storage facilities, utilizing our unique geology in the Bakken and the legal framework and regulatory certainty we’ve worked to provide at the state and federal level.”

This latest funding marks a significant step forward in North Dakota’s ongoing efforts to harness CCUS technology to support its energy industries while contributing to environmental sustainability.