Summit Carbon Solutions outlines CO2 pipeline plan, answers county questions on safety and easements

Summit Carbon Solutions representatives told the York County Board of Commissioners on April 5 that the company plans a multi‑state CO2 gathering and pipeline system to carry captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to a sequestration site in North Dakota.

The presentation, given by Eric Skovanec, director of pipeline for Summit Carbon Solutions, explained the project’s purpose, scale and timetable: capture CO2 at ethanol facilities, compress it to a dense phase for pipeline transport, and inject it into deep subsurface formations for long‑term storage. “We’re gonna capture CO2 from ethanol plants, pressure that up, and then transport that to North Dakota for permanent sequestration,” Skovanec said during his presentation to the board.

Why it matters: the proposal would traverse parts of York County and requires voluntary easements from landowners, local permitting and work with emergency‑response agencies. Company officials said the project is privately financed and will produce property‑tax revenue for counties along the route.

Summit described the project’s size and financing in broad terms. Skovanec said the enterprise is “a 4 and a half billion dollar project,” that the company is seeking roughly $1 billion in equity and the remainder through debt. He said the system currently has commitments for about 8,800,000 tons of CO2 and the pipeline is being designed for up to 12,000,000 tons.

Board members and county staff pressed the presenters on technical and safety details. In response to questions about the CO2 state while it moves through the pipe, Summit engineers said the gas will be in a high‑pressure, dense phase with both liquid and gas properties so it can be transported in smaller‑diameter pipe. Skovanec described several safety and integrity measures the company proposes, including deeper burial than federal minimums (a stated minimum of 4 feet rather than the 3 feet cited as federal requirement), thicker carbon‑steel pipe, extensive weld X‑ray inspection, automated block valves and continuous leak‑detection and monitoring systems.

On the risk of a release, Skovanec acknowledged that dense‑phase CO2 is heavier than air at release and could create a localized asphyxiation hazard: “If you were directly over the pipeline, and there was a release … it could be a hazard to people in that immediate area,” he said, while adding that the company is running dispersion analyses and coordinating with local emergency‑response agencies on planning and equipment.

Commissioners asked about land rights and eminent domain. Summit officials said the company’s current approach is to seek voluntary easements and that route planning has already incorporated thousands of route adjustments to avoid properties that object. “This is our voluntary easements. That’s our objective,” Skovanec said. He also acknowledged there is a regulatory pathway in some states related to pore‑space rights but said Summit’s public message and practice in the county is focused on voluntary agreements.

The presenters also discussed operations and schedule. The firm said it plans a modest number of pump stations for the mainline (the presentation cited about six for the current volume) and estimated construction to start in first quarter 2023 with mechanical completion aimed for mid‑2024 and service after commissioning. The company said it is ordering U.S.‑made pipe where possible and expects to provide county tax‑revenue estimates later.

County officials asked for updated maps and more local data; Summit offered to share maps and handouts, and gave an email contact (info@summitcarbon.com) for follow‑up. The company’s team stayed after the meeting to speak with residents in the hallway.

The presentation closed with an offer to provide further technical contacts for sequestration questions and with a pledge to work with local emergency responders on response planning and equipment needs. The board took no formal action on the Summit presentation itself; it functioned as an informational update and public Q&A.

The county clerk’s office and Summit were listed as sources for follow‑up materials and updated route maps.