Regulating the UNDERGROUND INJECTION of CO2.

The article focuses on the development of effective and adaptive regulation for the underground disposal of carbon-dioxide at Florida. The injection of carbon-dioxide deep underground in a process referred to as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) enhances the chances of oil recovery in oil fields. The current regulations governing EOR are not sufficient for geologic disposal because they do not explicitly address the security of disposal over the long durations relevant to climate change. If carbon-dioxide migrates out of the receiving formation and rise to the surface it can led to ecological damage. In 1983, southern Florida decided to use the ground injection as its main method for disposing of secondary treated wastewater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Underground Injection Control program, 20% of Florida's municipal wastewater is injected 900m deep underground at 62 facilities. The risks posed by injected carbon-dioxide are ecosystem impacts and acute health risks arising from surface exposure to the gas. The new regulations governing carbon-dioxide need to have a careful characterization of the reservoir before injection begins, clear guidelines on how the disposal of fluid must be monitored and explicit procedures for how unanticipated migration should be handled.