Offshore

U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Southern States Energy Board, SSEB

The Southeast Offshore Storage Resource Assessment (SOSRA) project was established in 2015 through Cooperative Agreement DE- FE0026086 between the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The four-year performance period began on October 1, 2015, and was extended through 2019. The goal of the SOSRA project was to develop a high-level approximation of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) that could potentially be stored offshore, utilizing key geologic and environmental factors that influence the storage potential. The research includes significant advances in knowledge and technology that can facilitate assessment and quantification of offshore CO₂ storage resources in the SOSRA region and provide a pathway toward commercialization. Research focuses on the State and Federal waters of three Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning areas; the Mid-Atlantic; the South Atlantic; and the eastern Gulf of Mexico (EGOM).

Effective and timely communication within the project team, between the Project Directors and the DOE/NETL Program Manager, and the public is an important aspect of a project of this magnitude and was a key to its success. A comprehensive communications plan ensured proper communication of the project’s status and risks with DOE/NETL, the project team, and appropriate stakeholders. The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) provided regular briefings to DOE/NETL and attended the Kickoff Meeting, annual program review meetings, and provided a final project briefing to report project status. To support and foster knowledge sharing and interaction within the project team, SSEB hosted several conference calls as appropriate and annual in-person team meetings. During these meetings, key stakeholders were invited to participate in an advisory capacity on behalf of their respective states and affiliations.

Overall Objective: Develop and advance technologies that will significantly improve the effectiveness and reduce the cost of implementing carbon storage, both onshore and offshore.

Goal: Provide a high-quality prospective carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage resource assessment of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Mid- and South Atlantic Seaboard.