S EA T ECHNOLOGY I NCLUDING U NDER S EA T ECHNOLOGY Charles H. Bussmann Founder and Publisher 1924-1999 publisher managing editor production manager assistant design/ website manager advertising service manager C. Amos Bussmann Aileen Torres-Bennett Russell S. Conward Joshua Ortega Susan M. Ingle Owen ® The Industry’s Recognized Authority for Design, Engineering and Application of Equipment and Services in the Global Ocean Community Erik Milito , President, National Ocean Industries Association editorial The US Must Finalize Rules For Offshore Carbon Storage T ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES: HEADQUARTERS C. Amos Bussmann 10449 White Granite Drive, #83 Oakton, VA 22124-9998 Tel: (703) 524-3136 seatechads@sea-technology.com WESTERN U.S.A. & CANADA Barbara Sabo Gregory Sabo John Sabo Associates 447 Herondo St. #305 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Tel: (310) 374-2301 bsabo@jsaboassoc.com EUROPE John Gold John F. Gold & Associates “Highview” 18a Aultone Way Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3LE, England Phone/FAX Nat’l: 020-8641-7717 Int’l: +44-20-8641-7717 johnfgold@gmail.com For other geographical areas, please contact our home office at (703) 524-3136 or seatechads@sea-technology.com Sea Technology back issues available on microform. Contact: NA Publishing, Inc. P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998 1-800-420-6272 COMPASS PUBLICATIONS, INC. 10449 White Granite Drive, #83 Oakton, VA 22124-9998 Tel: (703) 524-3136 oceanbiz@sea-technology.com www.sea-technology.com publishers of: Sea Technology Commercial Fisheries News Fish Farming News Sea Technology Buyers Guide/Directory Sea Tech e-News Celebrating more than 62 years of serving the global ocean community -Since 1963 -he United States has the potential to lead in offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS), but realizing that potential hinges on one deliverable: final-izing federal regulations. Nearly four years after Congress gave the Depart-ment of the Interior authority to oversee offshore carbon sequestration, the rules remain unfinished. In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act amended the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to authorize competitive leasing and regulation of carbon dioxide injection into subsea formations on the U.S. Outer Con-tinental Shelf. It also required Interior to issue implementing regulations by November 2022. That deadline passed, with no proposed rules. The current administration has supported U.S. CCS development, includ-ing the possibility of allowing states to oversee onshore sequestration. Off-shore CCS deserves the same urgency. It’s a vital solution to reduce industrial emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, such as cement, steel, and refining, and with the right policy framework, it can also stimulate the economy. Globally, CCS is gaining momentum. DNV forecasts $80 billion in cumu-lative investment in the next five years. BloombergNEF projects global carbon capture capacity will increase sixfold by 2030. Offshore storage projects are already moving forward in the North Sea, Southeast Asia and Australia. The U.S. is falling behind in a race it should be leading. Few regions are as well-positioned for offshore CCS as the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, with vast geologic storage potential, proximity to industrial CO 2 sources, and a highly experienced energy workforce. Thousands of engineers, vessel operators, and safety technicians are already working safely in the Gulf and are ready to help scale carbon storage at an effective pace. We’re already seeing early private sector investment. But like all capital-in-tensive projects, CCS needs regulatory certainty. Without a clear leasing pro-cess and permitting pathway from the Department of the Interior, developers and investors are forced to delay or look elsewhere. That’s not just bureaucracy; it’s a market disadvantage. Every year of regu-latory delay is a year of lost opportunity: for U.S. leadership in the global CCS economy, for Gulf Coast communities, and for long-term job creation. The Interior Department’s offshore CCS regulatory framework must be du-rable, transparent and flexible. It must be capable of supporting the scale of deployment needed while incorporating the best safety and environmental practices from the existing offshore industry. To get this right, we urge Interior to engage the public and industry through a clear and open process to help ensure the final regulations are workable and future-proof. The U.S. offshore energy sector has been preparing for this moment. Our members have collaborated across trade associations and technical working groups to provide input and expertise to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. We have a strong foundation of experience and readiness to help execute projects that safely store millions of tons of carbon dioxide for decades to come. Interior’s leadership has acknowledged the importance of this issue, and we encourage that momentum to continue—because without regulatory clar-ity, the U.S. risks ceding ground in a critical emerging market. The U.S. has a unique opportunity to create a world-class hub for carbon management in the Gulf—and, more broadly, a global energy and technology leader for the blue economy. Finalizing the offshore carbon storage rules is the key to unlocking that future. Let’s get it done. ST www.sea-technology.com October 2025 | ST 7
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