Colleen Jarrott Discusses Recent Legislative Changes Regarding Carbon Capture and Sequestration Projects in Louisiana in Hart Energy Newsletter

Hinshaw partner Colleen Jarrott was featured in a recent Hart Energy article on the subject of Louisiana's legislative efforts to expand carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects in the state. Jarrott discussed the recently enacted Act 378, which makes several enhancements and modifications to existing state laws governing CCS.

Jarrott stated that the revised legal framework under Act 378 could be a model for other states to follow. "We have been doing [a form of] CCS in Louisiana since 1982,” she said. “For most of that time, it was primarily for enhanced oil recovery [Class II wells], but we have decades of experience." Jarrott adds that Louisiana’s experience with enhanced oil recovery shows that the science supporting permanent sequestration in Class VI wells can work. Thus, Louisiana is in a good position to move forward with its Class VI well program once it obtains primacy.

Jarrott noted that Act 378 had a groundswell of support. She added that there was an initial lack of CCS information available to the public but that the situation has improved. "There were concerns that opponents of CCS would show up in force at the primacy hearings [in June]," Jarrott said. "They did not, but who did come out were…the hunters and the fishers who are seeing the effects of climate change on the environment" and they came out to support CCS, which was significant.

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"The Quest for Primacy: Louisiana Lawmakers Push CCS Legislation" was published by Hart Energy on July 6, 2023.