本文转自《The National Law Review》发表的题为“CCUS After the Pandemic”的报道

日期：2020.03.21

原文链接：https://www.natlawreview.com/article/ccus-after-pandemic

The largest market for CO2 captured from industrial sources through carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) is enhanced oil recovery (EOR), using the CO2 to produce oil.  Captured CO2 can be used for cement, algae production, and other uses, but EOR has vast potential.  Moreover, it has a nearly 50-year track record in the US, where it was pioneered.  Carbon dioxide injected into oil formations becomes permanently stored as part of the process.

通过碳捕集利用和封存（CCUS）从工业来源捕集的CO2的最大市场是提高石油采收率（EOR），利用CO2生产石油。捕集的二氧化碳可用于水泥、藻类生产和其他用途，但提高采收率潜力巨大。此外，它在美国有着近50年的历史记录，这是它的先驱。注入油层的二氧化碳在这个过程中会永久性地封存起来。

However, in recent months, world petroleum production has been far above demand, and oil storage is running low.  This is due to a combination of Russian and Saudi production increases and decline in global demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Market experts suggest that even a temporary circumstance of such significant imbalance as exists today could have lasting consequences.  Many companies are expected to shut down production, resulting in delayed construction of new wells.  If oil markets remain depressed for some time, projects capturing carbon may look for other storage possibilities.

然而，近几个月来，世界石油产量远远高于需求，而石油储量也在减少。这是由于俄罗斯和沙特在COVID-19大流行病期间的产量增加和全球需求下降的综合作用。市场专家建议，即使是目前存在的这种严重失衡的暂时情况，也可能产生持久的后果。预计许多公司将停产，导致新井建设延迟。如果石油市场持续低迷一段时间，捕集碳的项目可能会寻找其他封存的可能性。

Another key option for captured CO2 is underground storage in a non-producing geologic formation – for example, a saline formation.  The United States has been testing formations for suitability for large-scale storage for some two decades.  There is one operating large-scale industrial capture and storage project in a saline formation in the US.  There need to be many more to make material progress toward meeting GHG emission reduction goals.  And without CCUS, the world will not meet emission reduction goals.

捕集二氧化碳的另一个关键选择是在非生产地质层（例如盐水层）中进行地下封存。美国在近20年来一直在测试地层是否适合大规模封存。在美国的一个盐水层中有一个正在运行的大型工业捕集和封存项目。在实现温室气体减排目标方面还需要取得更多实质性进展。没有CCUS，世界将无法实现减排目标。

To encourage people to capture CO2 from industrial processes, regardless of whether the CO2 was used for EOR and stored, or whether it was simply stored, in 2008 Congress enacted the Section 45Q tax credit. Congress amended the tax credit in 2018, significantly increasing and enhancing it in a variety of ways.  Today the tax credit is set to rise over a period of years to $35 per ton of CO2 captured from an industrial source and stored through EOR, and $50 per ton for CO2 stored in a non-producing geologic formation.  Congress also authorized $50 per ton for “utilized” CO2 (such as cement or algae), subject to a life cycle analysis to assure the CO2 stays out of the atmosphere.  The reason for the lower credit for CO2 used for EOR is that there is an expectation that oil producers will pay for the CO2, as they have done for many years.

为了鼓励人们从工业过程中捕集二氧化碳，不管二氧化碳是用于提高采收率和封存，还是仅仅封存，国会在2008年颁布了45Q税收抵免条款。国会在2018年修正了税收抵免条款，以多种方式大幅增加和加强了税收抵免。如今，税收抵免额将在数年内提高至35美元/吨，从工业来源捕集并通过EOR封存的二氧化碳，以及50美元/吨，用于封存在非生产地质构造中的二氧化碳。国会还批准每吨50美元用于“利用”二氧化碳（如水泥或藻类），并对其进行生命周期分析，以确保二氧化碳不进入大气。用于提高采收率的二氧化碳信用较低的原因是，人们预期石油生产商将像多年来所做的那样为二氧化碳买单。

In recent years there has been much focus in the policy arena on making CCUS work in an EOR context.  Additional focus now should be placed on how to make non-producing storage more workable.

近年来，在政策领域，人们非常关注使CCUS在提高采收率的背景下工作。现在应该把重点放在如何使非生产性封存更可行上。

A main focus should be the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, the program under which CO2 storage not associated with oil and gas production is regulated.

一个主要的焦点应该是美国环境保护署（EPA）的Class VI地下注入控制（UIC）法规，该法规规定了与石油和天然气生产无关的二氧化碳地质封存环保规则。

Below are some of the policy concerns that have been raised regarding the Class VI program.  These and others were addressed in detail in the National Petroleum Council (NPC) report to the Secretary of Energy issued last November.

以下是关于Class VI的一些政策问题。去年11月，美国国家石油委员会（NPC）向美国能源部长提交的报告详细阐述了这些问题和其他问题。

• Permitting Delays – The permits for the one currently operating Class VI facility took EPA about five years to issue. EPA needs to accelerate the permit review process.  Reducing permitting delays and uncertainties will be helpful as companies work to qualify their projects for the Section 45Q tax credit by the statutory “under construction” deadline.  The NPC report recommends issuing the permit to drill within six months of application, and the permit to inject within six months of EPA receiving a well completion report.  One means of accelerating the process would be to grant States primacy for the Class VI program.

• 许可延期——目前运行的Class VI设施的许可证，环保局花了大约五年时间才签发。环保署需要加快许可证审查程序。减少许可延期和不确定性将有助于公司在法定“在建”截止日期前，使其项目符合第45Q节税收抵免的要求。NPC报告建议在申请后6个月内颁发钻井许可证，并在EPA收到完井报告后6个月内颁发注入许可证。加速这一进程的一个手段是，授予各州Class VI项目的优先权。

  
  

• State Primacy – States need to be authorized by the EPA to have primary enforcement responsibility for the Class VI program so permits can be issued in a timely manner. EPA doesn’t have the resources to issue permits across the country.  States typically administer the UIC program for other well classes, particularly the Class II program under which oil and gas injection wells are regulated.  Only North Dakota so far has been approved to run the Class VI program in lieu of the EPA.  Other States have initiated pre-application activities.  EPA has issued a proposed rule, which is open for comment until May 29, to grant Class VI primacy to Wyoming.  EPA should process primacy applications expeditiously, and more States should be encouraged to apply.

• 州优先权——州需要得到环境保护局的授权，对Class VI法规负有主要的执法责任，以便及时发放许可证。环保署没有资源在全国范围内发放许可证。各州通常管理其他井类的UIC法规，特别是管理油气井的II类法规。到目前为止，只有北达科他州被批准代替美国环保署运行Class VI法规。其他国家已经开始了申请前活动。美国环保署已经发布了一项提议的规则，该规则将在5月29日前公开征求意见，授予怀俄明州Class VI优先权。环保署应迅速处理首要申请，并鼓励更多的州申请。

  
  

• Risk-Based Structure – Stakeholders have expressed concern that the UIC program has not been implemented with sufficient consideration for risk. The program is designed to prevent endangerment of underground sources of drinking water.  40 CFR 144.12 requires the program director to prescribe additional construction, corrective action, operation, monitoring, or reporting requirements as are necessary to prevent the movement of any contaminant into a USDW.  The NPC report calls for greater consideration of risk in implementation of the Class VI program.

• 基于风险的结构——利益相关者表示担心，在实施UIC法规时没有充分考虑风险。该计划旨在防止地下饮用水源受到危害。40美国联邦法规144.12要求项目主管规定必要的额外施工、纠正措施、操作、监测或报告要求，以防止污染物进入地下饮用水系统(An underground source of drinking water (USDW))。《全国人大报告》要求，在实施Class VI法规时，要更多地考虑风险。

  
  

• Monitoring Flexibility – The Class VI program requires testing and monitoring to track the CO2 plume and pressure front by direct methods in the injection zone, and indirect methods as appropriate. As the NPC study points out, monitoring strategies may evolve over time, and direct measurement in the injection zone – which could be interpreted to require an additional monitoring well – may not be the most efficient means.  The requirements can serve the objective of preventing endangerment of USDWs by a more flexible definition of effective monitoring.

• 监测灵活性——Class VI法规要求通过直接方法和间接方法（视情况而定）对注入区的二氧化碳羽流和压力前缘进行测试和监测。正如美国国家石油委员会（NPC）的研究所指出的那样，监测策略可能会随着时间的推移而演变，而在注入区进行直接测量（可以解释为需要额外的监测井）可能不是最有效的方法。通过更灵活地定义有效的监测，这些要求可以服务于防止地下饮用水系统(USDW)危害的目标。

  
  

• Financial Responsibility – A number of financial instruments may be used to meet the program’s requirement that a project operator demonstrate financial responsibility. However, some of the requirements are unnecessarily restrictive and can result in costlier financial instruments than are necessary to protect the public from having to pay for any future remediation that may be required.  Moreover, overly conservative risk assumptions drive unnecessarily high estimates of potential future remediation costs.

• 财务责任–可以使用多种财务工具来满足计划要求项目运营者表现出财务责任的要求。 但是，某些要求受到不必要的限制，并且可能导致比保护公众不必为将来可能需要的任何补救措施付费所必需的成本更高的金融工具。 此外，过分保守的风险假设会不必要地高估潜在的未来修复成本。

  
  

• Post–Injection Site Care Period – EPA set a 50-year default post-injection site care period for CO2 injected in Class VI wells. This is a longer period than many commenters on the proposed rule recommended.  The 50-year period is a default, and may be shortened (or lengthened) as appropriate based on site-specific circumstances.  Specifically, EPA set a lengthy period out of concern that CO2  injectate may migrate for years after injection ceases.  The default should be shortened to a period more commensurate with anticipated risks.

• 注入后现场护理期– EPA为VI类井中注入的CO2设定了默认的50年注入后现场护理期。 这比许多建议的拟议规则评论者要更长的时间。 默认为50年，可以根据特定地点的情况酌情缩短（或延长）。 具体来说，EPA出于担心二氧化碳注入在注入停止后可能迁移多年的考虑而设置了一个漫长的时期。 应将违约时间缩短到与预期风险更为相称的时期。

  
  

When EPA issued the Class VI rule in 2010, it said it would employ an adaptive regulatory approach and look to revise the program in six years.  A review is past due.  EPA is unlikely to take up Class VI revisions in 2020, but stakeholders should lay the groundwork now for the agency to take up revisions next year.

EPA在2010年发布VI类规则时，表示将采用适应性监管方法，并希望在六年内对该计划进行修订。 审查已到期。 EPA不太可能在2020年进行VI类修订，但是利益相关者现在应该为该机构明年进行修订奠定基础。