This document
a) establishes requirements and recommendations for the geological storage of CO2 streams, the purpose of which is to promote commercial, safe, long-term containment of carbon dioxide in a way that minimizes risk to the environment, natural resources, and human health,
b) is applicable for both onshore and offshore geological storage within permeable and porous geological strata including hydrocarbon reservoirs where a CO2 stream is not being injected for the purpose of hydrocarbon production or for storage in association with CO2-EOR,
c) includes activities associated with site screening and selection, characterization, design and development, operation of storage sites, and preparation for site closure,
d) recognizes that site selection and management are unique for each project and that intrinsic technical risk and uncertainty will be dealt with on a site-specific basis,
e) acknowledges that permitting and approval by regulatory authorities will be required throughout the project life cycle, including the closure period, although the permitting process is not included in this document,
f) provides requirements and recommendations for the development of management systems, community and other stakeholder engagement, risk assessment, risk management and risk communication,
g) does not apply to, modify, interpret, or supersede any national or international regulations, treaties, protocols or instruments otherwise applicable to the activities addressed in this document, and
h) does not apply to or modify any property rights or interests in the surface or the subsurface (including mineral rights), or any pre-existing commercial contract or arrangement relating to such property.
The life cycle of a CO2 geological storage project covers all aspects, periods, and stages of the project, from those that lead to the start of the project (including site screening, selection, characterization, assessment, engineering, permitting, and construction), through the start of injection and proceeding through subsequent operations until cessation of injection and culminating in the post-injection period, which includes a closure period. Figure 1 illustrates the limits of this document.
NOTE 1 This document does not address any post-closure period or specify post-closure period requirements.
This document does not apply to
- the post-closure period,
- injection of CO2 for enhancing production of hydrocarbons or for storage associated with CO2-EOR,
- disposal of other acid gases except as considered part of the CO2 stream,
- disposal of waste and other matter added for purpose of disposal,
- CO2 injection and storage in coal, basalt, shale and salt caverns, or
- underground storage using any form of buried container.
NOTE 2 This document may not be suitable for research projects, for example, those with a primary objective to test technologies or methods of monitoring.
NOTE 3 The closure period in this document does overlap with the post-closure phase of the EU regulatory definition. This document, however, is not concerned with transfer of liability.

First published as AS ISO 27914:2019.