Bayou Bend Expands Carbon Capture Project to Onshore Southeast Texas

Bayou Bend CCS LLC (“Bayou Bend”), a carbon capture and sequestration project located along the Texas Gulf Coast, has announced an expansion of its carbon dioxide (“CO2”) storage footprint through the acquisition of nearly 100,000 acres onshore in Chambers and Jefferson Counties, Texas. The increased acreage positions Bayou Bend to be one of the largest carbon storage projects in the United States.

Combined with the previously announced approximately 40,000 acres offshore Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas, the expanded Bayou Bend project now encompasses nearly 140,000 acres of pore space for permanent CO2 sequestration. The total acreage holds a gross storage capacity of more than one billion metric tons, positioning Bayou Bend to be a leading carbon transportation and storage solution for industrial emitters located in the Houston Ship Channel and Beaumont / Port Arthur region, one of the largest industrial corridors in the country.

Bayou Bend is a joint venture between Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (“Chevron”), through its Chevron New Energies division, Talos Energy Inc. (“Talos”), through its Talos Low Carbon Solutions division, and Carbonvert, Inc. (“Carbonvert”). Equity interests in Bayou Bend remain 50 percent Chevron, 25 percent Talos and 25 percent Carbonvert. Chevron became the operator of the LLC on March 1, 2023,

Chris Powers, vice president, CCUS, Chevron New Energies, said: “Delivering CCUS and other lower carbon solutions to harder-to-abate industries is fundamental to Chevron New Energies’ mission. As a Southeast Texas native, I know how vital these industries are to our local communities and their economies. With this expansion, Bayou Bend is positioned to offer CCUS solutions across a broad region of the Gulf Coast, from Houston to Orange and into western Louisiana.”

Robin Fielder, executive vice president – low carbon strategy and chief sustainability officer of Talos, said: “We are excited about Bayou Bend and building the best regional carbon sequestration hub with the right storage infrastructure adjacent to two major Southeast Texas industrial corridors. Our partnership is committed to developing safe, reliable, cost-effective decarbonization solutions while enabling continued economic growth in the region. Today’s announcement solidifies Bayou Bend’s position as Southeast Texas’s leading carbon sequestration project.”

Alex Tiller, president and CEO of Carbonvert, said: “Expanding Bayou Bend, alongside our partners Chevron and Talos, is Carbonvert’s next step to enabling critical large-scale carbon removal and reduction projects. This expansion sets us up well to achieve Carbonvert’s goal of sequestering 100 million tonnes before 2032 and underscores our position as one of the leading independent, pure-play carbon capture and storage developers in the world. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve such an important community in Southeast Texas and the greater Gulf Coast economy.”

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said: “We are pleased that Chevron, Talos, and Carbonvert are progressing – and expanding – Bayou Bend in Jefferson County and the greater Golden Triangle area. This project has the potential to further enhance the economic strength of our community, and we look forward to working with the venture in their endeavor.”

Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia said: “The expansion of Bayou Bend into Chambers County presents the region with a significant opportunity to ensure the continued economic vitality of the eastern Houston Ship Channel, Mont Belvieu area and eastern Chambers County for years to come. We look forward to our partnership with the developers.”

Winnie Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Breaux said: “Southeast Texas is home to some of the state’s most vital industries and we are excited about the opportunity to work with Chevron, Talos, and Carbonvert. Projects like Bayou Bend are directly linked to our mission of providing a desirable quality of life and economic environment, and we look forward to continued collaboration.”

In 2021, Talos and Carbonvert were selected as the winning bidders for the Texas General Land Office’s Jefferson County, Texas, carbon storage lease, located in state waters offshore Beaumont and Port Arthur, Texas. It remains the first and only offshore lease in the U.S. dedicated to CO2 sequestration. Chevron joined the Bayou Bend joint venture in May 2022.