700,000 Ton Underground Carbon Dioxide Wells Coming Soon to West Texas

It's official! The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has given the go ahead for west Texas to construct three carbon storage wells just west of Odessa in Ector County.

The agency has issued a special permit for these storage wells that will help protect drinking water in west Texas from nasty contaminants.

What are Texas Carbon Wells?

These massive storage wells will be built just 14 miles west of Odessa, TX, and will hold over 700,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year... Do you know how much 700,000 metric tons really is? For us Americans, that's equivalent to over 771,000 tons.

To put this into perspective, these wells can annually hold about 3,850 blue whales, the largest animal in the world.

These storage wells will be buried about 4,400 feet below the Earth's surface to address contaminants in drinkable water.

Carbon dioxide can be injected into a water stream to help filter out harmful particles. The CO2 gas pushes particles to one side of the water channel, allowing treatment plants to divert these contaminants away from the fresh water supply. Neat, right?

Who is Installing these Wells in West Texas?

The company responsible for installing the carbon storage wells is Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, a low-carbon emissions business headquartered in Houston, Texas.

According to the news release from the EPA, the installation of these three wells in Ector County will not only improve drinking water quality, but it will also provide many well-paying jobs for the community.

Regional Administrator Scott Mason voiced his support for the construction:

Oxy Low Carbon Ventures has demonstrated their ability and intention to operate these wells responsibly while creating jobs and supporting the Texas economy.

So, we'll see how this affects west Texas and if it truly does nothing but good for the community's water supply and economy.