Early-stage risk assessment for the Uinta Basin CarbonSAFE Phase II project

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is considered a key solution to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and limit climate change. Risk assessment and management are essential for CCUS projects. This article presents a case study of the Uinta Basin CarbonSAFE Phase II project to identify and assess potential risks associated with the development of commercial-scale CCUS in the Uinta Basin, eastern Utah, United States (U.S.), by an online questionnaire from six categories: economy, legal/policy, environment, social, management, and technicality. Specifically, 138 features, events, and processes (FEP) are identified and evaluated by feedback from project participants, experts, and residents.

Financial viability and CCUS legislation/policy are recognized as the highest-ranked risks. These are not unique to the Uinta Basin, but to the U.S. and the world. Updated legislation and policy incentives are expected to drive further development of CCUS, reduce the cost, and achieve climate expectations. Technical concerns include potential faults/fractures and their activation/growth, which require further quantitative assessment. In contrast, job loss is considered as a low risk, indicating potential economic growth with the deployment of CCUS. The results also suggest that preventive and mitigative activities should include technical assistance to operators and stakeholders regarding the most recent CCUS policies and requirements, and training programs for the next generation of the workforce.

This study provides an example of identifying potential risks at an early stage for CCUS deployment, and the responses of Uinta Basin residents can help establish effective communication channels between the project team and the local community.