OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Guidelines for carbon capture and storage in Oklahoma will become state law later this year.
Senate Bill 269, written by Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, recently received final legislative approval and was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt.
The guidelines, which go into effect on Nov. 1, will work to ensure the state maintains regulatory control over carbon sequestration efforts. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission will have exclusive authority over Class VI CO2 injection wells and related storage units under the measure.
“These companies are willing to invest millions in Oklahoma without asking for tax credits or special incentives from the state,” Luttrell said. “In return, this bill gives them regulatory certainty under Oklahoma’s authority, while also protecting landowners and ensuring long-term accountability.”
The Corporation Commission, the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and carbon capture companies collaborated to create the guidelines, which establish requirements for the following CO2 storage site applications, including ownership of at least 63 percent of the land in the proposed unit, a submitted map of the affected area and notice to surface owners, mineral rights holders and owners of impacted wells.
“Senate Bill 269 sets Oklahoma up to lead the nation in the fast-growing carbon capture and sequestration industry, an emerging field that is poised to spur private investment and economic growth in the state,” Rader said. “This law ensures that oversight of this emerging industry stays with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, not Washington bureaucrats, so rules and regulations addressing this developing sector reflect what’s best for all Oklahomans.”
The guidelines require public notice be given through two publications, including one issued no fewer than 30 days before the Corporation Commission hearing. Injection cannot occur without commission authorization. The agency must issue a certificate of completion within 50 years of injection ending, assuming regulatory compliance and maintained mechanical integrity.
SB 269 also creates the Class VI Carbon Sequestration Storage Facility Revolving Fund.
“Once a facility deposits $5 million or more into the fund, its fees will pause until expenditures bring the balance below $4 million,” Oklahoma House officials said.
The Corporation Commission are obligated to provide electronic reports evaluating the fund’s effectiveness to legislative leaders.
