It was a simple tweet, but coming from the world’s richest man, it grabbed a lot of attention around the planet, especially in our corner of it.  

"Am donating $100M towards a prize for best carbon capture technology”, tweeted Elon Musk. “Details next week” 

The replies were varied, but a number of them pointed his attention to technology already in place, and in use, in southeast Saskatchewan. The Carbon Capture and Storage facilities in place at the Boundary Dam Power Generation Station near Estevan, and the oil fields south of Weyburn.  

“SaskPower’s Boundary Dam by Estevan became the first power station in the world to successfully use carbon capture and storage technology and then, on the other hand, it’s the storage that’s really in the forefront in terms of that technology,” explained Twila Walkeden, the Executive Director of the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce. “They actually transport that carbon via pipeline into an oilfield near Weyburn, Whitecap, and that carbon dioxide is stored for the long term in a safe way so it’s really the full meal deal when it comes to carbon capture and storage and it’s happening right here.” 

The carbon dioxide is injected, in liquid form at high pressure, into an oil-producing formation 1,500 metres underground. The carbon dioxide flushes out the oil that would not be recoverable otherwise. The oil and natural gas are then extracted, while the carbon dioxide is returned to the reservoir underground.  

Since the use of carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery, more than 31 million tonnes have been sequestered, which is the equivalent of taking six million cars off the road for an entire year.  

At the source of the emission, Boundary Dam, the facility is capable of capturing 100 percent of the sulphur dioxide emissions from the coal process and 90 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions. According to SaskPower, since the startup of the operation at Unit 3 at Boundary Dam, nearly 3.8 million tonnes of carbon has been captured, with the 12-month daily average currently at 2,334.1 tonnes. 

“I don’t think people realize the amount of worldwide attention, especially that oilfield south of Weyburn got, in those first few years, because every scientist that studied carbon capture and storage was coming into that field to understand more about the applicability,” Walkeden pointed out. 

While many are pointing to the reasons why the southeast deserves renewed attention for the efforts on carbon capture and storage, some are also pulling for Musk to look at his roots when he starts going over details as to who should get the prize. After all, his grandparents lived here, and his mother was born in Regina. 

Musk is said to have spent some summers in his youth visiting his grandparents in the province. After graduating from high school in South Africa, where he was born, he moved to Saskatchewan where he lived and worked until he enrolled at Queen’s University in Kingston.  

When it comes to the application of carbon capture technology and storage, Walkeden points out whether the prize comes to Saskatchewan or not, it will bring attention back to the work being done here in the southeast, which has already demonstrated one thing for everyone who has followed the growth of the work done. 

“I think it’s a great way to revitalize that importance of a strong environment, a strong industry and you can really mix both and get great results.”