Illinois Basin-Decatur Carbon Sequestration Project Moves Forward

Contacts:
Rob Finley, Director, ISGS Center for Energy and Earth Resources
217-244-8389
Sallie Greenberg, ISGS Sequestration Communications Coordinator
217-244-4068

The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC), led by the Illinois State Geological Survey, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Schlumberger Carbon Services, and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory marked a milestone in one of the nation's first large-scale studies intended to confirm that carbon dioxide emissions can be stored permanently in deep underground rock formations.

At a ceremonial groundbreaking celebrating the imminent completion of an approximately 8,000-foot-deep injection well on ADM's Decatur, Illinois, property, officials noted the significance of the U.S. Department of Energy-funded Illinois Basin study at Decatur.

"The science and technology employed in this project may point the way to a future in which carbon emissions from manufacturing operations are commonly stored far below the Earth's surface, rather than being emitted into the atmosphere," said Robert Finley, director, Energy and Earth Resources Center, Illinois State Geological Survey, University of Illinois.

The project may also help determine whether geologic carbon sequestration can further improve the environmental footprint of alternative fuels such as ethanol by capturing and storing carbon emissions associated with their production.

In February 2009, Schlumberger Carbon Services began drilling the approximately 8,000-foot-deep injection well at the 207-acre project site near ADM's corn wet mill in Decatur, Illinois, which produces starch for fuel ethanol and a number of other products. Once the injection well is completed, a carbon dioxide dehydration/compression facility will be constructed near the corn wet mill, and a 3,200-foot-long pipeline will also be constructed to transport carbon dioxide to the well.

Beginning in early 2010, carbon dioxide emitted during the ethanol fermentation process at the corn wet mill will be injected at a rate of 1,000 metric tons per day into the Mount Simon Sandstone, a large, saline water-bearing rock formation. By 2013, a total of one million metric tons of carbon dioxide — roughly the annual emissions of 220,000 automobiles — is expected to be stored within the formation.

The MGSC is one of seven regional carbon sequestration partnerships established by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop guidelines for the most suitable technologies, regulations, and infrastructure needs for carbon sequestration in different regions of the United States and Canada. The Decatur project is the first and largest to date of the seven partnership projects.

"We at ADM are privileged to be working with the U.S. Department of Energy, the MGSC, the Illinois State Geological Survey, the University of Illinois, and Schlumberger Carbon Services to advance our collective understanding of carbon sequestration and to help lay the groundwork for a future in which capture and storage may form part of a comprehensive emissions-reduction strategy," said ADM Chairman, CEO and President Patricia Woertz.

The information gained from the Illinois Basin-Decatur project will further the understanding of carbon sequestration technology around the world. Other large-scale carbon sequestration demonstration projects are taking place in Algeria, Canada, and Norway.

About ADM

Every day, the 27,000 people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) turn crops into renewable products that meet the demands of a growing world. At more than 230 processing plants, ADM converts corn, oilseeds, wheat, and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, chemical, and energy uses. ADM operates the world's premier crop origination and transportation network, connecting crops and markets in more than 60 countries. ADM's global headquarters is in Decatur, Illinois, and net sales for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, were $70 billion. For more information about our company and our products, visit www.adm.com.

About the Illinois State Geological Survey

Founded in 1905, the Illinois State Geological Survey provides the citizens and institutions of Illinois with earth science research and information that are accurate, objective and relevant to the state's environmental quality, economic prosperity, and public safety. ISGS is one of four scientific surveys within the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois. Together, they form a unique group of scientific experts in the earth, environmental, and biological sciences that is unmatched in the nation. These agencies carry out objective, high-quality, multi-disciplinary scientific studies in service to all the people of Illinois.

About the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium

The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium is one of seven regional carbon sequestration partnerships selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to determine the best approaches for capturing and storing carbon dioxide that might otherwise contribute to global climate change. The MGSC is led by the Illinois State Geological Survey, in conjunction with the Indiana Geological Survey and the Kentucky Geological Survey, and covers Illinois, southwestern Indiana, and western Kentucky. This partnership was established to assess geological carbon sequestration options in the 60,000-square-mile geologic feature known as the Illinois Basin. Within the Basin are deep, noneconomic coal resources, numerous mature oil fields, and deep saline rock formations with the potential to store carbon dioxide. MGSC's objective is to determine the technical and economic feasibility of using these geologic formations for long-term storage. For more information, visit www.sequestration.org.

About Schlumberger Carbon Services

Schlumberger Carbon Services provides comprehensive geological storage solutions for carbon dioxide consistent with care for health, safety, and the environment. Technical expertise, project management, and technology are leveraged from more than 80 years of proven subsurface evaluation experience in the oil and gas industry. Visit www.slb.com/carbonservices.

About U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) national laboratory system, is owned and operated by the DOE. NETL supports DOE's mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. NETL implements a broad spectrum of energy and environmental research and development programs that will return benefits for generations to come while protecting the environment and enhancing the nation's energy independence.

Updated 9/11/2009 SLD