Carbon Sequestration Certification Program

About the Program

The Oklahoma Carbon Sequestration Certification Program encourages Oklahomans to prevent soil erosion, protect water quality, and improve air quality by adopting conservation practices that sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By developing a program that combines research, natural resource protection, and state-backed verification of carbon offsets, Oklahoma has a model program that strives to maximize the quality and credibility of offsets from agriculture, forestry, and geologic sequestration in Oklahoma.

The program offers fee-based verification of carbon offsets to participating aggregators who hold carbon contracts with agriculture producers and forest landowners. Verification is also offered to oil and gas companies injecting CO2 underground in Oklahoma. Verification is a vital component to carbon credit trading that adds a layer of assurance that buyers of CO2 offsets are getting what they pay for and that purchased offsets are real. 

Oklahoma's voluntary carbon program is unique because it is implemented by a state agency that has statutory authority to verify carbon offsets. The voluntary program:

• Recognizes established specifications for agricultural and forestry practices that sequester carbon.
• Provides information to the public.
• Assists Oklahomans to take advantage of existing carbon markets by providing aggregators with the verification they require to be able to sell carbon offsets. 
• Develops a first-of-its-kind protocol for verifying carbon dioxide sequestered by downhole injection.

The carbon program began accepting applications in Fall 2009. Agriculture producers and forest landowners who want their offsets verified by the program should contact a state approved aggregator. Applicants for geologic sequestration verification apply directly to the Conservation Commission. For questions, call 405-522-4739. 

Above: Oil well in Osage County Oklahoma. Image from www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/oilgas/Petroleum/projects/EP/Explor_Tech/15452.htm