Lydia Cumming, MRCSP Outreach Coordinator, Battelle

MRCSP Outreach Program DOE/NETL Cooperative Agreement # DE-FC26-0NT42589

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MRCSP’s mission is to evaluate best approaches for CO2 capture, utilization, and sequestration

• Developing methods and models to quantify and track injected CO2

• Demonstrating effectiveness of geologic storage

• Reducing costs

MRCSP is 1 of 7 regional partnerships sponsored by US Department of Energy

Test Site

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Led by Battelle, MRCSP includes energy companies, industry, universities, state and nongovernmental organizations

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The MRCSP is well into the 10-year Phase III, or Development Phase, of the research

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Phase IIILarge Scale Field Validation

Site Selection, Permitting, Site Characterization, Site Preparation, and Baseline Monitoring

MI Injection Operations(Multiple Reefs)

Post Injection Monitoring

Phase IISmall Scale Validation

OH Site MI SalineMI EOR Fields

Phase ICharacterization

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These programs function to develop practical knowledge and increase capabilities

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MRCSP has four overarching goals for its outreach program:

• Continue to be a neutral and credible source of scientific information on CCUS

• Improve public understanding of CCUS

• Support the large-volume CO2 injection test

• Support other MRCSP research activities, including regional geologic characterization projects

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This presentation will describe MRCSP’s approach to support demonstration projects

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• Local: Site-specific activities

• Regional: MRCSP-wide communication (e.g., web site, teacher training, research)

• National: NETL Outreach Working Group

• Identify the various stakeholder groups, issues and concerns

• Identify required approach, including informal discussion or briefings and needed information materials

• Agree on communication roles (who does what, where, when, with whom)

• Work to engage the local media

• Describe technical issues and regulatory requirements in understandable terms

• Hold informal meetings to facilitate conversations with community leaders

While local outreach activities are site-specific, we followed a similar process at each site

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Phase II projects taught us how to better understand and respond to stakeholder needs

• Technical issues (e.g., leakage) frequently raised—but often in the context of underlying social factors

• Differences in policy viewpoints clearly seen, especially those related to coal (positive or negative)

• Host site relationships are important

• Familiarity with oil/gas or power generation a factor

• Process issues (fairness, ability to have a say) frequently raised

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Phase III Project is taking place in depleted oil fields in conjunction with CO2-EOR

Gas Producing Zone

OilProducing Zone

Dover 33

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Because project activities are mostly “business as usual,” regional outreach is key area of focus

- Annual Partner’s Meetings

- Site Visits

- Community Relations

- Media Relations

- Outreach Materials

- Website

Contribute to:

- DOE/NETL Best Practices Manuals

- NATCARB Database and Publications

- EPA Guidelines Requests for Comments

- Industry Meetings & Conferences

- Trade Associations

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Developing clear communications about CCS technologies critical towards increasing public acceptance Safety (people need to hear that

CCS is safe)

Addressing specific concerns such as the protection of groundwater resources

Key conclusions resulting from MRCSP research and demonstrations

Costs and benefits of CCS

Comparisons with other energy (e.g., Coal + CCS vs Renewables)

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Building website visitation is a work in progress

• The website objective is to share technical information about CCS and convey key findings (e.g., CCS works, it’s safe).

• An experiment is underway to assess current visitor behavior and make changes to the website based on that behavior.

• Ultimate goal is to increase traffic, thus sharing more information.

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Nationally, MRCSP convenes and participates in the Outreach Working Group

A group of outreach coordinators from each of the seven partnerships working to better understand and respond to questions about CCS

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Message Mapping Digital communicationsBest Practices Manual

The Best Practices Manual provides a framework for planning and implementation

• Focused on project developers

• Based on practical RCSP experience

• Relatively short narrative, variety of appendices

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Message mapping provides a tool for distilling primary points and developing supporting facts

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Be directReduce jargon

Connect with the audience

Focus groups are used to test and refine message maps

The outreach working group is examining digital communication strategies

• Invited speakers on: integrated digital communications strategy, search engine optimization, and potential for building virtual communities through education programs

• Performing a baseline assessment on use of these tools, a literature review, and brainstorming about what might be possible in context of CCS projects.

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The MRCSP communication strategy is monitored, evaluated, and updated annually

• Monitor stakeholder views on CCS and related issues

• Monitor website traffic

• Track number of presentations, papers, site tours, meetings, workshops, and other activities

• Effectiveness will be assessed based on (1) successful implementation of the large-scale test; (2) the ability to continue to build website visitation; (3) assessing the tone and quality of media coverage; and (4) number and trend of comments and/or complaints received.

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In summary, the MRCSP continues to refine its outreach program

• Locally, regionally, and nationally, our program seeks to develop clearer communications about CCS technologies

• Phase II (small scale pilot tests) were instructional Contributed to DOE Best Practices Manual for Public Education

and Outreach

• Phase III continues to build knowledge Communicating the results of the large-scale project to a broad

audience is of particular interest to members of MRCSP

− Distilling key conclusions resulting from research and demonstrations

− Using digital communications

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