Project Description

The Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) is working to characterize CO₂ storage potential in Harquahala basin, western central Arizona. The basin is favorably located between population centers of southern California and south-central Arizona, and is close to large energy producers and existing infrastructure. The basin is deep and possesses a mix of saline aquifers and basalt formations, providing sufficient volume to store large volumes of CO₂. Also, the basin has probable bedded salt that could provide an adequate seal for hydrogen storage, giving yet another dimension to the project.

AZGS is collaborating with several partners including NIKOLA Motor Company, Salt River Project, Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power. The main objective is to compile and integrate all existing data to deliver subsurface map products that highlight important reservoir characteristics, identify data gaps, and can be used to guide a future data acquisition program.

This project will provide needed data to the CUSP, and is intended to set the stage for a Phase 2 project where data acquisition such as geophysical surveys and a characterization well will be proposed.