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National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative

The National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative brings together diverse public and private leaders to increase U.S. domestic oil production and energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions  through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using carbon dioxide (CO2). Launched in July 2011, the EOR Initiative is facilitated by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and the Great Plains Institute.

Commercially proven and safe since 1972, CO2-EOR could more than double U.S. proved reserves of oil to over 50 billion barrels, while securely storing in oil fields CO2 captured from power plants and industrial facilities, which now vent CO2 directly into the atmosphere.

Participants include executives from oil and gas, electric power, ethanol, coal, chemical and other industry sectors; elected and public officials from oil- and gas-producing states; and environmental and labor advocates. The EOR Initiative will issue a final report in early 2012 recommending federal and state actions to accelerate nationwide expansion of commercial CO2-EOR using captured CO2.

The EOR Initiative has bipartisan Congressional support. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), and Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) participated in its launch, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), and Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) provided written statements of support. All have agreed to monitor the EOR Initiative’s progress and receive final recommendations for legislative consideration.

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