California Resources Corporation CRC, a Long Beach, CA-based oil and gas exploration and production company, has reached the first carbon dioxide (CO2) injection at Carbon TerraVault I (CTV I), setting a transformational benchmark for the future of carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) in California. Located at the Elk Hills Field in Kern County, this initiative establishes the state’s first operational CCS project and positions California as a national leader in scalable carbon management solutions.
The launch of Carbon TerraVault I signals more than a technological achievement. It demonstrates how industrial innovation, environmental responsibility and long-term energy resilience can converge to accelerate California’s path toward carbon neutrality while supporting economic growth and energy security.
Carbon Terravault I: California’s First Operational CCS Project
Carbon TerraVault I is the first operational CCS facility in California capable of permanently storing captured carbon dioxide deep underground. The project utilizes CRC’s Elk Hills Field, a well-known geological formation with decades of operational history and proven subsurface integrity.
The CCS process begins with carbon dioxide captured from CRC’s cryogenic gas processing plant. Instead of releasing emissions into the atmosphere, the CO2 is compressed and transported into depleted oil and natural gas reservoirs located more than one mile beneath the surface. These reservoirs previously stored hydrocarbons safely for millions of years, making them ideal geological storage formations for long-term carbon sequestration…