04.24.24

Hoeven: EERC Awarded $11.6 Million for Bakken Enhanced Oil Recovery, CO2 Storage Research

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced a $11.6 million award to the University of North Dakota (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) for enhanced oil recovery research in the Bakken. The funds, which are made available under the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, will enable EERC to conduct 18 months of field and laboratory research to study the viability of injecting CO2 into unconventional oil reservoirs for the purposes of enhanced oil recovery and long-term emissions storage. As a member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, Hoeven:

  • Secured strong support for the DOE’s oil and gas research programs in annual funding legislation.
  • Worked to advance EERC’s application, stressing the project’s benefits to both U.S. energy security and improved environmental stewardship.
    • The senator outlined how North Dakota is uniquely positioned to lead in these efforts, enabling access to unconventional oil reservoirs while advancing the development of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies.
    • This comes as part of Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to crack the code on CCUS, which supports the state’s continued role as an energy powerhouse for the nation and is benefiting both traditional and renewable energy, including oil, gas, coal and biofuel production.

“The EERC is a world-class research institution and has been a central player to North Dakota’s efforts to crack the code on CCUS,” said Hoeven. “This latest project will help maximize the full potential of the Bakken by advancing cutting-edge research for unconventional enhanced oil recovery operations, supporting U.S. energy security by making the best use of our abundant oil and gas reserves. At the same time, this provides a productive use for the CO2 that is being captured at a range of energy facilities in the state, including our coal and biofuel plants.”

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