An Oil Field Became California’s First Carbon Vault. Who’s Responsible if Something Goes Wrong?
The project could generate billions in tax credits and other incentives as regulators weigh long-term leak monitoring and cleanup liability.
- In May, California Resources Corp. began operating California's first commercial carbon-storage project at Elk Hills in Kern County, burying carbon dioxide underground for permanent storage.
- Nearly four years ago, lawmakers ordered the California Air Resources Board to establish monitoring and financial accountability rules by January 2025, but the board has not yet adopted them.
- FracTracker Alliance, a nonprofit mapping oil and gas development, identified 913 oil and gas wells within one mile of the project's injection sites, with most unplugged and vulnerable to deterioration.
- The project could earn billions in public funding if it scales up, though Earthjustice attorney Michelle Ghafar warns no single agency oversees the full scope of risks as her group challenges the project in court.
- Without finalized rules, it remains unclear whether a proposed 100-year monitoring requirement applies to Elk Hills or if shorter federal standards govern in the interim.
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An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?
Nearly four years ago, California lawmakers ordered state regulators to prepare for an industry that promised a new way to fight climate change: permanently burying carbon dioxide underground.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. This article is also available in English. Read it here. Nearly four years ago, California legislators ordered state regulators to prepare for an industry that promised a new way to combat climate change: permanently burying the [...]
CalMatters: An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong? – Consumer Watchdog
BY ALEJANDRO LAZO https://calmatters.org/environment/2026/08/california-resources-corporation-carbon-terra-vault A pumpjack stands in an open oil field behind strands of barbed wire, with grassy hills, utility poles and a partly...
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