The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued Texas’ first permit for Carbon Dioxide injection and storage to Occidental’s Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, allowing three CO₂ wells to support its Stratos direct air capture project with BlackRock. The permit enables the injection of 8.5 million metric tons of CO₂ in the Permian Basin. While the Biden administration had supported carbon capture through the Inflation Reduction Act, future subsidies are uncertain under the Trump administration, which has shifted focus toward jobs and environmental responsibility. Texas, now host to 43 similar federal applications, is also facing concerns about seismic activity linked to underground injection, and the state’s Railroad Commission is seeking EPA approval to manage its own CCS permitting process.
