Scientists from Battelle Memorial Institute, Rutgers University, TRC Companies and Entr have proposed creating a major carbon dioxide storage on the Atlantic Ocean floor in the Northeastern United States. The researchers estimate that underwater formations in this region have the potential to store up to 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide.
The coastal areas from Virginia to New Jersey are home to major industrial hubs that release significant volumes of CO₂ annually, which makes the construction of dedicated infrastructure a highly relevant solution. However, creating storage facilities on land would be difficult due to dense housing and a lack of suitable geological structures. The researchers have discovered a possible workaround: injecting carbon dioxide into deep saline rock formations beneath the ocean floor.
The Great Stone Dome geological structure in the Baltimore Canyon Trough has been selected as the key site. Using archival seismic and drilling data, the scientists built a 3D model of the subsurface. In this model, sandstones act as carbon storage reservoirs, while the overlying dense shales serve as a reliable barrier preventing gas from escaping to the surface.
Next, the researchers simulated the injection process. A hub design with eight slant wells in two clusters proved to be the most efficient. This design makes it possible to reduce the pressure on the formation and optimize drilling. Calculations suggest that this hub may be able to inject some 17 million tons of CO₂ per year over 30 years, or up to 500 million tons in total, while maintaining pressure within safe limits.
The researchers also found out that an offshore pipeline with a length of about 200 km would be required to transport the CO₂. Its projected route takes into account existing restrictions, such as shipping, military zones, wind farms and protected habitats. It is also proposed to utilize existing coastal communication routes to minimize environmental impacts.
The subsea infrastructure is expected to include distribution hubs through which CO₂ will be supplied to the wells. It is planned to control the system from shore via power and communication cables, eliminating the need for permanent platforms on the surface, which will make the facility virtually invisible once operational.
According to the scientists’ calculations, developing a hub like this would be technically feasible today and could take approximately 7–10 years. The main challenges involve additional exploration, drilling of appraisal wells and development of a regulatory framework for CO₂ storage in offshore waters.
