BÉCANCOUR AND THETFORD, QUÉBEC (August 7, 2024) — Deep Sky, the Canadian carbon removal project developer, has made significant progress on its carbon removal projects in Québec. The work includes pre-feasibility studies in Bécancour and Thetford Mines to assess the geologic potential for carbon storage. Thoughtful community engagement work is underway in each location, ensuring transparent communication with local residents and stakeholders.

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The long-term goal for both projects is to provide carbon storage to Québec’s industrial sector as the province aims to become a leader in decarbonization. Deep Sky has also begun early planning of commercial carbon removal projects in Québec that would help remove the remaining emissions that are harder to abate. If feasibility studies in Bécancour and Thetford Mines demonstrate the right geology for carbon storage, this will be accomplished by building high-quality carbon removal facilities in both Bécancour and Thetford Mines, with potential expansion opportunities in other regions of the province. The facilities will ultimately handle full-service capture and sequestration on site, playing a key role in the fight against climate change. Québec has all of the natural resources and conditions for engineered C0₂ removal, with its vast natural resources including water, geology, wind and hydroelectric energy. Deep Sky is ensuring all preparatory steps are executed, including environmental studies and geophysical surveys to confirm optimal geology before subsequent phases are deployed. 

In Bécancour, Deep Sky began a pre-feasibility study in July to analyze the geological characteristics of land within the Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (SPIPB) and surrounding areas in order to confirm more precisely its potential for CO₂ sequestration.  It’s the largest 3D geology project that’s ever taken place east of Manitoba. The very first step is high integrity geological environmental assessments, where the ground surface, water, and subsurface (underground) is tested to confirm its sequestration potential. This is akin to a harmless ultrasound of the ground, which sends soundwaves to produce a 3D model of the below ground architecture. 

As part of the work, field teams are placing acoustic detectors on the target land, called geophones, to measure the reflected vibrations off the underground geology.  The energy sources create soundwaves that penetrate over 3km towards the center of the earth. These soundwaves reflect off different rock types creating a 3D 'ultrasound' of the subsurface. Social acceptability began in May while the geology study began in July, and will take approximately 6-8 months for final results. Deep Sky is partnering with Quebec-based Geostack and with scientists at Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) on the pre-feasibility study.

"The Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (SPIPB) believes that CO₂ capture and storage must be part of the energy transition, and the aim of the geological study is to confirm whether the Bécancour subsoil is suitable for storage,” said Donald Olivier, SPIPB President and CEO. “Moreover, the SPIPB wishes to highlight Deep Sky's commitment through its communication activities, as well as the time devoted to dialoguing with citizens and companies to ensure listening and transparency."

"I've been following Deep Sky's efforts to develop innovative carbon storage processes in Québec with great interest,” said Donald Martel, Member of National Assembly, Nicolet-Becancour and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy. “In addition to encouraging innovation, this initiative is a promising step towards our goal of making Québec a leader in decarbonation."

In the Thetford Mines region, a similar pre-feasibility project is being conducted to determine the mineralization potential for carbon sequestration. A geophysical mapping survey is generating a better understanding of the subsurface, while rock samples are being studied to determine the mineralization potential. Deep Sky aims to use a process known as in-situ mineralization, where CO₂ is injected into underground CO₂-reactive rocks, thereby converting CO₂ into stone. When injected into subsurface mafic and ultramafic rock, the CO₂  dissolved in water is permanently sequestered as calcite rock, with no harmful byproducts, and with no chance of returning to the atmosphere. 

“At Deep Sky, we believe Québec can be a leader in reversing climate change,” said Fred Lalonde, Deep Sky Co-Founder and Chairman. “Our projects in Bécancour and Thetford Mines are aimed at providing carbon storage to Québec’s industrial sector as the province intends to become a leader in decarbonization. Bécancour is part of the Energy Transition Valley, where a collaborative ecosystem is accelerating the energy transition.”

"We support Deep Sky's carbon removal project in Bécancour, which aims to achieve a sustainable transition that matches Quebec's ambition," said Alain Lemieux, President and CEO of Vallée de la Transition Énergétique (VTE). "Supporting these decarbonization innovations allows us to contribute to accelerating Quebec's energy transition."

Community engagement is a key element of Deep Sky’s work in Bécancour and Thetford Mines. One-on-one meetings with stakeholders, open houses, and personalized resident and landowner outreach have been prioritized to ensure open dialogue with the community. Local hiring is contributing an economic infusion to the regions, and will only increase as the scale of projects increase. 

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About Deep Sky:

Montreal-based Deep Sky is the world's first tech-agnostic carbon removal project developer aiming to remove gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere and permanently store it underground. As a project developer, Deep Sky brings together the most promising direct air and ocean carbon capture companies under one roof to bring the largest supply of high quality carbon credits to the market and commercialize carbon removal and storage solutions like never before. With $75M in funding, Deep Sky is backed by world class investors including Investissement Québec, Brightspark Ventures, Whitecap Venture Partners, OMERS Ventures, BDC Climate Fund, and more. For more information, visit deepskyclimate.com.