Modernizing the Board of Oil and Gas

The 2009 Legislature expanded the duties of the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation to include development of a permitting, oversight, and enforcement program for the injection of carbon dioxide into geologic formations for the purpose of carbon sequestration.  Statute describes the makeup of the Board of Oil and Gas conservation, but does not include a member with expertise in this emerging field.

The science behind the geologic sequestration is technical, complex and evolving. It is critical to have the technical expertise on the Board to ensure appropriate development and oversight of the permitting and enforcement of carbon dioxide injection. Geologic sequestration must be done in a way that avoids the risk of carbon dioxide escaping into the atmosphere and water bodies where it could contaminate aquifers, damage private property, and impair public health and the environment.