Public Review Begins of World's First Standard for Geologic Storage of CO2

REGINA, Nov. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - The draft of the world's first standard for geologic storage of carbon dioxide now is available for public review.

"We're very proud to provide the link for academics, individuals, researchers and scientists to the world's first standard for geologic storage of carbon dioxide on both our website (www.ipac-co2.com) and on our Twitter feed, @ipac-co2," said Carmen Dybwad, Chief Executive Officer of IPAC-CO2.

Feedback can be provided online through the CSA Standards public review system on a clause by clause basis.

"It's a very thorough, professional and measurable way to obtain feedback," Dybwad said.

CSA Standards, a leading developer of standards, codes and personnel certification programs since 1919, and the International Performance Assessment Centre for Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide (IPAC-CO2) began work on June 16, 2010 on the new standard.

A Technical Committee (TC) comprising almost three dozen experts from Canada and the United States began reviewing the seed document IPAC-CO2 had prepared to form the basis of the standard on November 24.

Rick Chalaturnyk, a geotechnical engineering professor and holder of the Foundation CMB Endowed Chair in Reservoir Geomechanics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, is the chair of the TC.

Sara Forbes, who leads the CCS work at the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington, D.C., is the vice-chair of the TC.

"The public review period ends on Dec. 27 so we encourage people to log into the system using the "ipac-co2" affiliation to share their concerns, insights and opportunities for improvement," Dybwad said.  "All of the information gathered during the public review period will be considered before a final draft is written."

Upon completion, the new standard will provide essential guidelines for regulators, industry and others around the world involved with scientific and commercial CCS projects.

The new standard will be submitted to the Standards Council of Canada and ANSI in the United States for bi-lateral recognition making it the world's first formally recognized CCS standard in this area.

The new standard will provide the basis for development of the international standards by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

SOURCE IPAC-CO2 Research Inc.