ISO 27916:2019

Overview

ISO 27916:2019 - "Carbon dioxide capture, transportation and geological storage - Carbon dioxide storage using enhanced oil recovery (CO2‑EOR)" provides a standardized framework for demonstrating safe, long‑term containment of CO2 injected as part of CO2‑EOR operations and for quantifying the CO2 stored in association with those operations. The standard applies where CO2 is intentionally injected to enhance hydrocarbon recovery and where project proponents seek to quantify associated storage (including optional allocation of the anthropogenic portion). It excludes CO2 storage in reservoirs with no hydrocarbon production (covered by ISO 27914) and lifecycle emissions such as capture or transport emissions.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and boundaries - Defines the EOR complex boundary (on‑site containment, leakage pathways, operational losses) and explicit exclusions (lifecycle emissions, above‑ground storage, non‑injection techniques).
• Documentation - Requirements for initial and periodic documentation, use of existing data, and record retention to support storage claims.
• EOR complex characterisation - Geological characterization, containment assessment, facilities and existing wells, and operations history needed to demonstrate suitability.
• Containment assurance & monitoring - Development of a containment assurance and EOR operations management plan; monitoring program design, methods, and implementation focused on potential leakage pathways and operational containment.
• Well construction & interventions - Expectations for new well design and intervention practices to reduce leakage risk within the EOR complex.
• Quantification methods - Principles and procedures to quantify injected CO2, operational losses, leakage, venting/flaring, CO2 entrained in produced fluids, transfer of CO2, and losses from the EOR complex. Includes allocation ratios for separating anthropogenic from non‑anthropogenic CO2 (Annex B) and de‑minimis provisions.
• Project termination - Requirements for termination planning, periodic containment assurance post‑termination, and conditions for project closure.
• Annexes - Informative Annex A introduces CO2‑EOR concepts; Annex B gives example quantification calculations.

Applications and users

ISO 27916:2019 is practical for:

• Oil & gas operators implementing or expanding CO2‑EOR projects
• CO2 suppliers and transporters seeking to document associated storage
• Project developers, environmental consultants, and carbon accounting teams
• Regulators, auditors, and certification bodies assessing storage claims
• Organizations reporting GHG mitigation who need quantified, auditable associated storage figures

Using ISO 27916 helps unlock the climate value of CO2‑EOR by providing transparent, consistent methods to demonstrate containment and quantify stored CO2 for regulatory compliance, carbon accounting, or market transactions.

Related standards

• ISO 27914 - Geological storage of CO2 in formations that do not contain hydrocarbons
• ISO 14064‑1 / ISO 14064‑2 / ISO 14064‑3 - Greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards (ISO 27916 results can feed into these protocols)
• Industry standards and regulations for oil & gas wells, EHS, and CO2 injection operations (refer to the document bibliography for specifics)

Keywords: ISO 27916:2019, CO2‑EOR, carbon dioxide storage, geological storage, enhanced oil recovery, CO2 quantification, containment assurance, CO2 monitoring.