
Norman, OK – The University of Oklahoma (OU), in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory and industry collaborators, has received an $18.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the Oklahoma Carbon Hub. The project will explore subsurface storage solutions for carbon dioxide (CO2) across three sites in Osage and Kay Counties. If successful, the sites could collectively store up to 54 million metric tonnes of CO2 over two decades.
The initiative is a cornerstone of the DOE’s Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) program, designed to identify and develop large-scale carbon storage facilities across the United States.
Industry Integration and Key Customers
Three committed customers are already poised to leverage the Hub’s storage capabilities, including the CVR Fertilizer Plant in Kansas, the Azure Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Facility, and Heimdal’s Direct Air Capture Units on the Osage Reservation. These partnerships highlight the growing demand for scalable CO2 storage solutions across industries.
“We know the rock formations act as natural storage tanks in the subsurface.” – Matthew Pranter, Ph.D., OU School of Geosciences
Geological Suitability
The project focuses on the Arbuckle Group, a limestone and dolomite formation known for its high porosity and natural capacity to trap CO2. Researchers will conduct in-depth subsurface characterization to determine the best locations for drilling injection wells.
Matthew Pranter, Ph.D., director of the OU School of Geosciences and lead principal investigator, emphasized the significance of the Hub: “With this grant and OU’s expertise, we can directly participate in reducing CO2 emissions into our atmosphere and address the global issue of climate change.”
Economic and Environmental Impact
This project not only advances climate goals but also positions Oklahoma as a leader in carbon storage innovation. By developing the infrastructure to permanently store CO2, the Carbon Hub will support decarbonization efforts across multiple industries, including agriculture, energy, and direct air capture technologies.
As part of a $518 million DOE initiative, the Oklahoma Carbon Hub marks the first CarbonSAFE award in the state, setting a precedent for future collaborations between academia, industry, and government.