ExxonMobil receives Texas approval for Rose carbon-capture project

The Railroad Commission of Texas has approved a permit for ExxonMobil’s Rose carbon-capture and storage project in Jefferson County. In a 2-1 vote, commissioners Christi Craddick and Jim Wright supported the measure, while Wayne Christian cast the lone dissenting vote.

Under the approved permit, ExxonMobil is authorized to inject up to 53 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into underground rock formations over a 13-year period. The project aims to capture emissions from various industrial sources along the Gulf Coast and store them approximately one mile underground.

During the proceedings, Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, questioned the use of taxpayer subsidies for the project, noting ExxonMobil’s significant recent profits. He also argued that the scale of the project is minimal compared to global emissions, stating that the stored amount represents approximately “one-hundredth of one percent” of what the world would emit during the same 13-year timeframe.