Carbon Sequestration Symposium brings energy experts to CSUB

CERC event will be live-streamed April 29

By California State University, Bakersfield

April 15^th, 2022

The California Energy Research Center at California State University, Bakersfield creates a hub of research with interdisciplinary teams producing applied scientific advances that benefit the region and beyond. With its upcoming Carbon Sequestration Symposium, experts from multiple disciplines will join CERC to engage the community on an important energy topic.

The Carbon Sequestration Symposium, to be held on April 29, is a hybrid event where a diverse array of carbon management experts will discuss the opportunities and challenges of carbon sequestration in the Central Valley. In-person attendance is limited, but all are invited to attend via a live webinar.

“The symposium will allow stakeholders and experts to discuss how we can sustainably and safely support increased use of carbon sequestration to benefit the region,” said Dr. Anthony Rathburn, interim director of CERC and chair of CSUB’s geology department. “We hope to highlight the importance of data-based decision-making in sustainably and safely using carbon sequestration as a viable option to mitigate climate change.”

Carbon sequestration is a mechanism to capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide, Dr. Rathburn said. Sequestering carbon is a means of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere with the goal of mitigating global climate change. Geologic carbon sequestration involves storing CO2 in suitable rock formations underground, which typically involves pressurizing CO2 until it becomes a liquid, and then injecting it into porous rock that is sealed by surrounding rock so that the fluid cannot escape.

“One common carbon sequestration scenario is to capture carbon dioxide from a source, such as a cement production facility or a power plant or a natural gas processing plant, and then inject it into porous rocks for long-term, underground storage,” Dr. Rathburn explained.

Sponsored by CERC, the CSUB Office of the President and the CSUB Office of the Provost, the symposium is designed to foster both learning and conversation, Dr. Rathburn said. It will feature speakers and panels, and guests and webinar participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

“This is a particularly important topic for this region because the San Joaquin Basin and other geologic basins in the region have been identified as having significant potential for geologic carbon sequestration,” Dr. Rathburn said. “These basins contain the right geologic conditions, extensive subsurface data is available from oil and gas operations and the local workforce has the appropriate technological skills and knowhow.”

Event speakers include Roger Aines and Kim Mayfield, scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Ken Haney, carbon management strategic advisor from California Resources Corporation; Bill Bartling, a consultant formerly of the California Department of Conservation; Kate Gordon, senior advisor to the Energy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy; and Josh Stolaroff, co-founder and chief technology officer of Mote Hydrogen.

There will also be two panels. The first, “Carbon Capture & Storage: The What, Why & How,” will be moderated by Climate Now’s James Lawler and include panelists Haney, Lorelei Oviatt, director of Kern County Planning and Natural Resources, and Sarah Saltzer, managing director for Stanford Center for Carbon Storage and the Stanford Carbon Initiative. The second panel, “Carbon Capture & Storage: Challenges & Implementations,” will be moderated by Amber Mace, CEO of California Council on Science and Technology, and include panelists Jennifer Haley, president and CEO of Kern Oil & Refining Company; Colin Murphy, deputy director of Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy at UC Davis; and George Peridas, the energy program director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

“Each of these experts brings a unique perspective to the discussion about the science, technology, regulation and policies surrounding carbon sequestration,” Dr. Rathburn said. “I am eager to hear from the assembled experts and to learn about the best paths forward.”

Dr. Rathburn encouraged anyone who is interested in carbon sequestration to join the live webinar, adding that the event will have something for everyone, whether total novice, industry expert or something in between. Those from the worlds of academia, government agencies, environmental organizations, nonprofits and the petroleum, agriculture and cement industries especially should find the event informative.

“I am hoping that this event helps increase awareness of the opportunities, benefits and challenges of carbon sequestration,” Dr. Rathburn said. “By forging partnerships and bringing people together to discuss issues surrounding carbon capture, use and storage, I hope that this event provides a catalyst for educational and training initiatives and research teams that will accelerate innovation and techniques for sequestering carbon within the region.”

The symposium is a collaborative event made possible through partnerships between CERC and several organizations, including Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Climate Now and the California Council on Science and Technology.