Carbon Atlas
The Big Sky Partnership has geologic and terrestrial carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington. The new interactive map combines data layers from several sources to provide greater custom mapping functionality. In a single application you can explore CO2 point sources such as industrial facilities (cement plants, coal-fired electric plants, petroleum processing plants, and even sugar and paper production plants) and view carbon sinks currently under investigation. You can view sinks and sources in relation to infrastructure and geologic formations, regional demographics, energy use, and land ownership by clicking on the map image below.
Mafic Atlas
Basalt formations are prevalent in the Big Sky region, and while less studied than other potential storage sites for CO2, they may play an important role in geologic CCS due to their unique geochemical and physical properties. Regionally, basalts offer significant long-term storage potential estimated in the range of 33-134 billion metric tons. These estimates scaled globally suggest that the five largest basalt provinces could store 10,000 years of the world’s CO2 emissions.
To better assess the CCS potential of basalts, BSCSP and Idaho State University developed a national Mafic Atlas using modeling studies, laboratory testing, and insights developed from mafic rock pilot projects. The Mafic Atlas online mapping application highlights the Columbia River Basalt Group in Washington and Oregon and its proximity to the West Coast power load.