CO2 Storage/Sequestration Cost Calculator
This calculator estimates the annual cost of permanently storing (sequestering) CO2 in a deep geologic formation -- the final link in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) cost chain, after capture and transport. It takes the annual CO2 volume to store and a storage/injection cost per ton, then reports the total annual storage cost. It pairs naturally with our CO2 Capture Cost Calculator and planned CO2 Transport Cost Calculator for the upstream pieces of the CCS cost chain, our planned Saline Aquifer Storage Capacity Calculator for estimating how much CO2 a given formation can hold, and our planned 45Q Tax Credit Calculator for the U.S. tax credit that often makes these projects economic.
The annual tonnage of captured CO2 to be injected and permanently stored in the target geologic formation.
Dedicated geologic storage (primarily deep saline aquifer formations) typically costs $5-15/ton, covering well drilling, injection equipment, site characterization, and monitoring -- notably cheaper per ton than capture or, often, transport.
annual CO2 volume to store (tons/year) × storage/injection cost ($/ton)
This covers the direct injection and storage cost only. It does not include the extensive site characterization, monitoring, and verification (MRV) program required over the life of a geologic storage project to demonstrate the CO2 remains securely stored -- a real and ongoing cost commitment separate from the injection cost itself.
Results update live as you type. For planning and field-check estimates — always verify against applicable standards and equipment ratings.
How we calculate this →Storage is often the cheapest link in the CCS cost chain on a per-ton basis -- injecting 900,000 tons of CO2 a year into a saline formation costs roughly $7.2 million annually in this example, well below typical capture costs for the same volume. That's because once a suitable geologic formation is identified and characterized, the marginal cost of injecting additional CO2 is relatively low compared to the energy-intensive work of separating CO2 from a flue gas or air stream in the first place -- which is exactly why finding and confirming a suitable storage formation early is one of the most important siting decisions in any CCS project.
How CO2 storage/sequestration cost is calculated
This calculator estimates the annual cost of permanently storing (sequestering) CO2 in a deep geologic formation by multiplying the annual CO2 volume to store by a storage/injection cost per ton. One quantity ties the calculation together.
Total Annual Storage Cost ($/year) = Annual CO2 Volume to Store (tons/year) × Storage/Injection Cost ($/ton). Multiplying the tonnage of CO2 to be injected each year by the cost to store each ton -- which covers well drilling, injection equipment, site characterization, and monitoring -- gives the total annual cost of operating the storage site. At the defaults (900,000 tons/year and $8/ton), that is 900,000 × $8 = $7,200,000/year.
Two notes on the model. First, the storage cost per ton is comparatively low ($5-15/ton for dedicated geologic storage, primarily deep saline aquifer formations) because once a suitable formation is identified and characterized, the marginal cost of injecting additional CO2 is relatively low -- making storage the cheapest link in the CCS cost chain on a per-ton basis, well below capture and often below transport. Second, this calculator covers the direct injection and storage cost only; it does not include the extensive monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) program required over the life of a geologic storage project to demonstrate the CO2 remains securely stored, which is a real and ongoing cost commitment separate from the injection cost itself. The upstream capture and pipeline transport cost components are addressed by the CO2 Capture Cost Calculator and the planned CO2 Transport Cost Calculator, and the planned Saline Aquifer Storage Capacity Calculator estimates how much CO2 a given formation can hold. Data sources: Dedicated geologic CO2 storage (saline aquifer) cost ranges from DOE (Department of Energy), NETL (National Energy Technology Laboratory), and IEA (International Energy Agency) CCS technology assessments; storage cost decomposition (well drilling, injection equipment, site characterization, monitoring) from NETL and industry case studies; MRV program requirements and cost considerations from EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI well guidance and IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) CCS guidelines. Verification: with defaults (900,000 tons/year, $8/ton), Total Annual Storage Cost = $7,200,000/year.