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Photo Caption: Class VI injection wells inject carbon dioxide for long-term storage to reduce emissions to the atmosphere. The figure is not to scale. Source: U.S. EPA.
Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) before it enters the atmosphere. After being captured from industrial sources or power plants, the CO₂ is compressed into a supercritical state—a fluid form that has properties of both a liquid and a gas—and transported via pipeline to be injected deep underground into geological formations.
Photo Caption: Map from Princeton University, November 2023
Illinois is a prime target for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) due to the Mt. Simon Sandstone—a deep underground rock formation believed to be highly effective at storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) long-term.
Princeton University has published a map projecting a potential nationwide network of CO₂ pipelines. This map highlights Illinois as a central destination within a future pipeline trunk system.
Currently, the U.S. has only 5,300 miles of short-run CO₂ pipelines. However, a national buildout could add more than 65,000 miles of new pipelines. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the total could reach up to 96,000 miles, depending on pipeline diameter—ranging from 24 to 30 inches instead of 48 inches.
Illinois is shown as a major hub in this projected network, with the capacity to receive CO₂ from as far away as western Montana, Maine, and neighboring states.
Photo Caption: Marquis Energy. Source: PCCAT
The Marquis Energy BioCarbon Project involves plans to develop infrastructure on company property to capture CO₂ generated from its fermentation process. This process includes removing water and other impurities, constructing a pipeline to transport the CO₂ to a facility where it will be compressed into a liquid or supercritical state, and transporting the compressed CO₂ to an injection well. The CO₂ would be injected beneath the fresh drinking water supply and into the Mt. Simon Sandstone formation over 3,000 feet underground.
According to Marquis Energy’s U.S. EPA application, the company plans to sequester up to 1.5 million tons of CO₂ annually for five years. Marquis Energy qualifies for 45Q tax credits, receiving $85 for every ton of CO₂ it sequesters annually. While these credits are ultimately funded by taxpayers, they are claimed through private tax filings, without public oversight or transparency.
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