Saskatchewan’s Aquistore Project leads the world in carbon dioxide storage innovation
Saskatchewan is helping shape the future of climate change solutions and the world is taking notice. The province is home to the Aquistore Project, a groundbreaking initiative that has put the province on the global map as a leader in carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Managed by the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) in Regina, Aquistore is not only pioneering new technologies, but also redefining what’s possible when environmental responsibility and energy expertise come together.
The project recently received the Suzanne West Environmental Excellence Award at the Global Energy Show in Calgary. The award recognizes PTRC’s technical achievements and serves as an endorsement of Saskatchewan’s leadership in tackling emissions through pragmatic, science-based solutions. Over the last 25 years, Saskatchewan Enhanced Oil Recovery and carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration projects have sequestered almost 50 million tonnes of CO₂.
“This award shines a spotlight on Saskatchewan and the groundbreaking work that has been done here on carbon capture and storage,” PTRC President and CEO Ranjith Narayanasamy said. “Aquistore’s success helps inform most of the CCS projects now in development across Canada and internationally.”
Aquistore is the first project in the world to store carbon dioxide captured from a coal-fired power plant. Since launching in conjunction with SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Carbon Capture Facility, the project has safely stored over 615,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a deep saline geological formation 3.2 kilometers underground. This is equivalent to removing more than 155,000 cars from the road for a year.
The captured CO₂ is largely sold to Whitecap Resources for enhanced oil recovery in Saskatchewan’s Weyburn oil field. However, about 10 per cent is piped to Aquistore’s dedicated storage site that can contain CO₂ safely and permanently.
Aquistore is the world’s largest industrial-scale CCS test site for measurement, monitoring and verification (MMV) technologies. More than 30 monitoring tools, ranging from geophones to fibre optic cables, are deployed to track how the CO₂ behaves underground and ensure its long-term containment.
The impact of this innovation extends far beyond Saskatchewan. Aquistore regularly hosts international delegations and has welcomed researchers and policy makers from over 25 countries. Technologies tested here have been modified or adopted by companies in countries such as Japan, Korea, Australia, Switzerland, and the United States.
Narayanasamy said that, despite its relatively small size, Saskatchewan has a massive influence on the global stage. “For a province that makes up just three percent of Canada’s population, we’ve had a global impact. Aquistore is proof that world-class innovation can come from anywhere,” he said.
PTRC is now preparing to do something that has never been attempted at an active CCS site by exploring the possibility of drilling a new observation well into the plume within the reservoir. This pioneering initiative will allow researchers to analyze core samples extracted from reservoir exposed to the CO₂ plume.
The results will provide new insights into how 10 years of CO₂ injection has affected the reservoir’s rock formations. This initiative is already attracting attention from major CCS players both locally and abroad.
The new well also aligns with Saskatchewan’s ambition to expand CO₂ storage infrastructure into other sectors. Feasibility work is underway to develop storage hubs near Moose Jaw and Belle Plaine to sequester emissions from potash mines, ammonia facilities, ethanol plants, and Federated Co-operatives Limited’s Regina refinery. These efforts support the province’s broader push to diversify and decarbonize its industrial base.
“We’ve shown that decarbonization does not require abandoning energy assets,” Narayanasamy said. “With CCS, we can reduce emissions across diverse sectors while maintaining economic resilience.”
At the same time, PTRC’s MMV data is also helping shape regulatory frameworks. By identifying which monitoring technologies offer the best cost-benefit ratio, PTRC is streamlining CCS development and improving scalability.
PTRC has exported its expertise through training seminars and feasibility studies, including a collaboration with the Asian Development Bank to assess CO₂ storage potential in Vietnam. PTRC staff have also presented findings in international forums from the United Arab Emirates to Indonesia, reinforcing Saskatchewan’s global reputation as a centre of excellence.
Saskatchewan’s approach to sustainability combines innovation with pragmatism. This approach is reflected in the provincial government’s Sustainable Saskatchewan platform. Aquistore puts that approach into action, and its success provides a blueprint for how industrial regions around the world can meet climate goals without sacrificing prosperity.
International investors are not only taking note of the technology, but also the transparent, collaborative model that Saskatchewan has fostered. With the next phase of drilling set to begin and a decade of proven results already in hand, Aquistore is helping lead the way to a low-carbon, high-opportunity future.
For more information, contact:
Media Relations
Trade and Export Development
Regina
Phone: 306-526-6302
Email: media.ted@gov.sk.ca
