A pump jack does its work at an oil field in Kern County. Photo by Frank Lopez

Aera Energy in Bakersfield has announced its first large-scale carbon capture and storage project, Carbon Frontier.

Aera, an oil and gas production company sold for a reported $4 billion earlier this year, is advancing the project as part of a planned regional hub for future decarbonization efforts in Kern County.

CarbonFrontier could be operational by the late 2020s, able to capture up to 1.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide resulting from Aera’s operations for permanent storage at its Belridge oil field.

The move would reduce Aera’s carbon footprint by the equivalent of 30,000 households.

CarbonFrontier will capture carbon dioxide from existing gas streams and other sources at the oil field for injection deep underground for permanent storage.

CarbonFrontier will be monitored with oversight by federal, local and state regulatory bodies, including the California Air Resources Board.

The project has been in development since 2019.

“The energy landscape is transforming, and Aera’s strategy is coexistence — ensuring Californians have the energy they need today as we work toward a lower carbon future,” said Aera Energy President and CEO Erik Bartsch. “This strategy matches the state’s ambitious policy objectives with our proven ability to bring innovative energy solutions on paper to operational realities in the field.”

The project will create 150 construction jobs during its two-year buildout and 75 continuous operating jobs.

According to a news release, Aera envisions CarbonFrontier as a beacon to developing a Kern County “carbon park,” possibly attracting other businesses needing to decarbonize operations.

In September, an Aera subsidiary was selected by the Department of Energy to study the feasibility of a direct capture hub.

“Innovation is at the heart of our region’s future and projects like CarbonFrontier embody the transformation at the core of Kern County’s revitalization,” said California State University, Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny. “Aera’s investment in innovation and development of lower carbon energy will keep us as California’s energy hub and competitive on a global scale.”