ADM pauses carbon dioxide injections after second leak found

DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — ADM has temporarily paused carbon dioxide injections after detecting a leak at their carbon capture facility in Decatur.

In a statement to WCIA, the company said paused the injections after they found movement of brine to different underground layers 5,000 feet underground.

Last month, the U.S. EPA issued a proposed enforcement order saying ADM violated federal regulations after a different leak. The federal body asked ADM to conduct additional testing.

ADM sent a letter to the EPA Friday saying they paused CO2 injections.

“Over the next two weeks, we will conduct further diagnostic testing to validate the preliminary data and provide greater visibility into the well conditions,” part of the letter reads. “We have temporarily paused injection of CO2 at injection well CCS#2 as a proactive measure while we conduct the actions described above.”

In a statement to WCIA, the agency said it “concurs with ADM’s decision and has requested additional information about the nature of the leak and company’s plan for resuming operations.”

The leak raised concerns from lawmakers and from environmental groups about the Mahomet aquifer. It’s a sole source aquifer, meaning if it was contaminated there would be no alternative drinking water.

“If this happens at ADM, a company with years of CCS experience, what will happen when more projects are launched?” Andrew Rehn, the director of Climate Policy at Prairie Rivers Network, said. “The Mahomet Aquifer is simply too important to gamble with, and we need an immediate ban on carbon sequestration projects beneath it.”

Governor J.B. Pritzker agreed with ADM’s decision to stop operations to investigate. The governor signed a law back in July that puts regulations in place around every stage of the carbon capture process including the capture of CO2 emissions, and the transportation and storage of it in underground wells.

Like the previous leak, ADM officials said the latest one doesn’t have any impact on surface or groundwater sources and there’s currently no threat to public health.

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