2 new carbon capture projects in the works for south Louisiana

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The Nutrien nitrogen phosphate facility in Geismar in the foreground, with several other plants in the background

Denbury Inc., a Texas exploration, pipeline and carbon sequestration company, has announced two new projects in south Louisiana, marking at least its sixth carbon capture endeavor in the state.

The first of the two new projects is a joint venture with Lapis Energy, a Dallas firm that specializes in carbon sequestration. The joint venture, dubbed Libra CO 2 Storage Solutions LLC, calls for Denbury to design and build a carbon sequestration complex at Lapis Energy’s 14,000-acre site in St. Charles Parish, about 20 miles west of New Orleans. Denbury and Lapis Energy will each own a 50% interest in the joint venture, according to a news release.

Denbury and Lapis Energy officials believe the site can hold at least 200 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Initial carbon injection is slated for 2027.

For reference, 200 million tons of carbon dioxide is equivalent to 44.5 million gasoline-powered vehicles driven for one year or about 22.5 million gallons of gasoline consumed, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates. The state’s largest greenhouse gas emitter is CF Industries’ ammonia plant in Donaldsonville at roughly 10 million tons per year.

Denbury will connect the Lapis Energy site to its existing carbon dioxide pipeline network via a 45-mile pipeline in southeast Louisiana.

“This high-quality CO2 storage opportunity was first identified by the Lapis subsurface team, and Denbury’s entrance has now confirmed its potential commercial attractiveness to emitters in the region,” Lapis CEO Reg Manhas said in a statement.

Denbury also announced deal with Soterra LLC, a subsidiary of Greif Inc., to develop a carbon sequestration site on roughly 8,500 acres in St. Helena Parish, about 50 miles northeast of Baton Rouge and less than five miles from Denbury’s NEJD CO2 pipeline.

That site, nicknamed Virgo, could hold up to 100 million tons and could be ready for injection by 2026, Denbury officials said.

“Our joint venture with Lapis provides access to an ideal site that is extremely well positioned in a high-emissions area along the Mississippi River between Donaldsonville and New Orleans, and we are excited to work with the Lapis team,” Nik Wood, Denbury’s senior vice president of carbon capture, utilization and storage, said in a statement.

“Our Virgo site is also an ideal CO2 sequestration site, as it is located a very short distance from our existing infrastructure,” Wood added. “Adding both of these sites furthers our strategy to provide the industry’s largest, most reliable, and efficient CO2 transportation and storage network.”

The Advocate

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