The Canadian Standards Association has released a voluntary standard for the Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide, CSA Z741.
The CSA Z741 Geological storage of carbon dioxide standard is the first of its kind, and is intended to ensure a clear minimum standard for geologic (long-term, underground) carbon storage. It is a bi-national multi-stakeholder Canada-USA consensus standard, developed with a technical committee of more than 30 professionals representing industry, regulators, researchers and NGOs from both sides of the border. The new standard will be used as a basis for developing international carbon storage standards through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). CSA also hopes that government will adopt the standard by reference through regulations or permitting.
The standard is primarily applicable to saline aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, but could also be used for storage associated with hydrocarbon recovery. It includes recommendations with respect to the safer design, construction, operation, maintenance, and closure of storage sites. It also provides recommendations for the development of management documents, community engagement, risk assessment, and risk communication. The project life cycle covers all aspects, periods, and stages of the storage project, beginning with those necessary to initiate the project (including site screening, selection, characterization, assessment, engineering, permitting, and construction), that lead to the start of injection and proceeding through subsequent operations until cessation of injection; and culminating in the post-injection period, which can include a closure period and a post-closure period. The standard does not specify post-closure period requirements.