Kern River Eastridge CCS

"The Kern River Eastridge Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS) Project, led by Chevron U.S.A. Inc., is a Class VI CO₂ sequestration project proposed for the Kern River Oil Field in Kern County, California, located about 10 miles northeast of Bakersfield. The project is designed to inject 265,000 to 455,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year for a 20-year period into the Vedder Sand, a deep Oligocene sandstone formation with strong porosity and permeability. Over its lifetime, the project expects to store 6.82 million metric tons of CO₂, followed by 50 years of post-injection monitoring. Chevron has applied for four Class VI injection wells, two initial injectors and two contingent wells in case of abandonment, and will manage reservoir pressure with two to four water-production wells. The Vedder Sand is sealed by the thick Freeman–Jewett Silt, providing strong long-term containment. Extensive subsurface characterization, including a 20-square-mile 3D seismic survey, analysis of 70 legacy wells, and core sampling confirms the site’s suitability for secure storage. Chevron owns 97% of the surface and mineral rights within the project area and is securing easements for the remainder.