France-based pipe manufacturer Vallourec has announced that it supplied advanced tubular solutions for US-based energy and carbon management company California Resources Corporation’s (CRC) Carbon TerraVault I (CTV I) carbon capture and storage (CCS) development at the Elk Hills Field in Kern County, California.
California’s first carbon facility with EPA Class VI permit
According to Vallourec, Carbon TerraVault I is the first carbon capture and storage facility in California to obtain US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Class VI permits for carbon injection and storage in depleted reservoirs. The first carbon injection at the facility is scheduled for spring 2026.
At full capacity, CTV I is expected to store up to 1.46 million metric tons of carbon per year. The project is projected to contribute 38 million mt of carbon storage toward the broader Carbon TerraVault portfolio, which has a planned capacity exceeding 350 million mt.
According to Vallourec, the long-term storage capability of the project is intended to support California’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
Tubular technology supplied by Vallourec
According to Vallourec, its tubular technologies play a central role in maintaining well integrity and long-term carbon containment at the project. The company stated that it delivered premium VAM® 21 connections installed on corrosion-resistant alloy pipe, which were qualified to meet the project’s technical requirements for carbon injection under demanding downhole conditions.
