EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) collects key information regarding the capture, supply, and underground injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the United States. Greenhouse gas (GHG) data from these activities are reported under the following GHGRP subparts:

• Suppliers of CO₂ (subpart PP) covers facilities that capture CO₂ from industrial sources and processes or extract it from natural CO₂-bearing formations for supply into the economy.
• Underground injection of CO₂ (subpart UU) covers facilities that inject CO₂ underground for enhanced oil and gas recovery (ER), acid gas injection/disposal, carbon storage research and development (R&D), or for any other purpose other than geologic sequestration.
• Geologic sequestration of CO₂ (subpart RR) provides a mechanism for facilities to monitor and report to EPA amounts of CO₂ sequestered. Facilities submit a plan for monitoring, reporting and verifying CO₂ sequestered underground. Once the plan is approved, facilities report basic information on CO₂ received for injection, data related to the amounts of CO₂ sequestered, and annual monitoring activities. EPA approved the first "monitoring, reporting, and verification" plan in December 2015 and data will be reported starting in the 2016 reporting year.

Capture and Supply of CO₂

Ethanol, natural gas, and ammonia production are among the top three industrial facility types that capture CO₂ for supply into the economy.

In 2014¹, most of the CO₂ captured from industrial processes (64 percent) and nearly all of the CO₂ produced from natural sources (91 percent) was used for ER. Food and beverage manufacturing is the second most common end use, followed by other end uses such as pulp and paper manufacturing, fire-fighting equipment, and metal fabrication.

¹As of 8/16/15.

* Includes cleaning and solvent use, fumigants and herbicides, transportation and storage of explosives, fire-fighting equipment, industrial and municipal water/wastewater treatment, pulp and paper, metal fabrication, greenhouse plant growth and unknown (which may include ER).

** Note that some CO₂ suppliers reported the primary end use for captured or produced CO₂ as "unknown." It is believed that the quantities reported by CO₂ suppliers as "unknown" account for the difference between CO₂ received for ER and CO₂ supplied for ER.

Underground Injection of CO₂

After CO₂ is captured or produced, it can be compressed and transported to a site where it is injected underground. Some facilities both capture or produce CO₂ and inject it underground onsite.

The primary use of carbon dioxide is for ER. ER helps to mobilize oil and gas in underground hydrocarbon reservoirs, thereby increasing production. While most CO₂ captured or produced is supplied to facilities that conduct ER, a smaller portion is injected underground for other purposes.

For additional information about CCS, visit EPA's Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration page.