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Oxy's $1.3B Texas carbon capture facility on track to​ launch this year

gearing up

Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, said the company's Stratos DAC project is on track to begin capturing CO2 later this year. Photo via 1pointfive.com

Houston-based Occidental Petroleum is gearing up to start removing CO2 from the atmosphere at its $1.3 billion direct air capture (DAC) project in the Midland-Odessa area.

Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, said during the company’s recent second-quarter earnings call that the Stratos project — being developed by carbon capture and sequestration subsidiary 1PointFive — is on track to begin capturing CO2 later this year.

“We are immensely proud of the achievements to date and the exceptional record of safety performance as we advance towards commercial startup,” Hollub said of Stratos.

Carbon dioxide captured by Stratos will be stored underground or be used for enhanced oil recovery.

Oxy says Stratos is the world’s largest DAC facility. It’s designed to pull 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air and either store it underground or use it for enhanced oil recovery. Enhanced oil recovery extracts oil from unproductive reservoirs.

Most of the carbon credits that’ll be generated by Stratos through 2030 have already been sold to organizations such as Airbus, AT&T, All Nippon Airways, Amazon, the Houston Astros, the Houston Texans, JPMorgan, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and TD Bank.

The infrastructure business of investment manager BlackRock has pumped $550 million into Stratos through a joint venture with 1PointFive.

As it gears up to kick off operations at Stratos, Occidental is also in talks with XRG, the energy investment arm of the United Arab Emirates-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., to form a joint venture for the development of a DAC facility in South Texas. Occidental has been awarded up to $650 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to build the South Texas DAC hub.

The South Texas project, to be located on the storied King Ranch, will be close to industrial facilities and energy infrastructure along the Gulf Coast. Initially, the roughly 165-square-mile site is expected to capture 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, with the potential to store up to 3 billion metric tons of CO2 per year.

“We believe that carbon capture and DAC, in particular, will be instrumental in shaping the future energy landscape,” Hollub said.

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Both projects will seek to develop “tracking and evaluation systems for the emerging nature-based carbon credit market.” Photo via Getty Images

Houston researchers launch 2 nature-based carbon credit projects

seeing green

A team at Rice University has announced plans for two research projects that will focus on nature-based carbon credits.

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center reported that the projects will be funded through a gift from Emissions Reduction Corp. with the goal of advancing global decarbonization through a series of carbon sequestration, avoidance and reduction projects.

Both projects will seek to develop “tracking and evaluation systems for the emerging nature-based carbon credit market” according to a news release.

“The Rice School of Engineering is very interested in research into nature-based engineering solutions,” Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering and a professor of computer science and biosciences at Rice, says in the release. “For too long, we have used nature as a platform but not as a partner. This research will hopefully open the door on a new era of nature-based engineering. Moreover, this is a very timely initiative as bringing science to bear on the emergent carbon credit economy is of critical importance to meeting the challenges of a changing climate.”

For the first project, which is expected to take six months, the SSPEED Center will be commissioning the design of a digital monitoring, reporting and verification (dMRV) system for tracking nature-based carbon credits using satellite and drone imagery to monitor coastal blue carbon projects, soil, and forest projects.

The direct input of this data into blockchain and other record-keeping technologies will be the main part of the system. .A Houston-based local nonprofit carbon registry BC Carbon, and blockchain provider Change Code will also take part in the research.

The second project will see the SSPEED Center undertake hydrologic computer modeling, and take 12 to 18 months to complete. This will help determine the effectiveness of restoring native prairie grasslands as a flood control technique where a portion of the Brazos River will be modeled relative to predict increases in the frequency of “100-year floods” via climate change. Overall, it will evaluate whether prairie restoration funded via soil carbon credits could mitigate flooding risk, which could eliminate the need to raise the 30 miles of levees in Fort Bend County downstream of the carbon project. The George Foundation,BCarbon, and Fort Bend County Flood Control District will work together on this project.

“Using nature to solve flooding problems has been discussed but seldom executed at the level of a major river system,” Herman Brown Professor of Engineering and SSPEED Center director at Rice Phillip Bedient adds. “We are excited that carbon credits and prairie restoration might break open this nature-based flood engineering area.”

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10+ must-attend Houston energy events happening in Q3 2026

Must-attend meetings

Editor's note: Q3 is here, and with it, a full slate of must-attend events for Houston energy professionals. On the agenda are exciting exhibitions, expos, week-long happenings, and more. Mark your calendars for these top Houston energy transition events taking place July to September 2026, and begin registering today. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional events.

July 15-16: Downstream USA Conference & Exhibition

Now in its 14th year, Reuters Events: Downstream USA 2026 brings together 3,000+ decision‑makers from refining, chemicals, petrochemicals, EPCs, technology providers, and more. Join the industry’s largest and most influential downstream gathering, which features more than 160 exhibition spaces to connect owner-operators and solution providers through interactive, peer-led session formats and onstage discussions.

This event begins July 15 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

July 24: Chevron Innovation Competition

The University of Houston presents the 5th Annual Chevron Innovation Commercialization Competition, a dynamic event that empowers students to transform cutting-edge energy research into real-world solutions. This event is sponsored by Chevron and coordinated by UH Energy.

The elimination round takes place July 24 at 2 pm. Find details here.

August 17-20: IMAGE '26

Co-hosted by SEG and AAPG, the International Meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy event (IMAGE '26) is the world’s premier gathering for geoscientists, energy professionals, and industry leaders to connect and innovate. A global audience from all sectors of geosciences and energy come together in Houston to collaborate and network through a comprehensive technical program with more than 1,100 presentations, engaging panel discussions, hands-on workshops and courses, and a unique exhibition experience.

This event begins August 17 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

August 18-19: AVEVA Day Energy & EPC

AVEVA Day Energy & EPC brings together 400+ leaders and experts from the oil & gas, energy, chemicals, and EPC industries. Attendees will connect with peers facing similar challenges, learn from real customer stories, and discover how companies are accelerating operations with AI and industrial intelligence.

This event begins August 18 at Westin Houston Memorial City. Register here.

August 26-27: Texas Energy Forum 2026

Organized by U.S. Energy Stream, the 2026 conference will focuses on the theme, "AI Runs on Texas Energy: How Texas and Alberta Are Powering the AI Revolution." The forum brings together U.S. Senators, members of Congress, senior government officials, and leaders from the energy, technology, manufacturing, and financial sectors for candid discussions on the energy, infrastructure, and technological advancements required to power the AI revolution and strengthen American competitiveness.

This event begins August 26 at the Petroleum Club of Houston. Register here.

September 13-18: Houston Energy & Climate Week

Houston Energy & Climate Week is a six-day gathering that welcomes an unparalleled selection of global energy leaders and communities to the energy capital of the world for a full slate of events, from tech tours and networking to a climatetech summit and digital symposium.

This event kicks off September 13 and continues for six days. Find details here.

September 14-18 Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week

Launched in 2024, the official Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week returns for its third year, showcasing how Houston is developing and scaling real solutions by meeting growing global energy demand while reducing carbon emissions. Join leading energy and climate venture capital investors, industry leaders, and startups from around the world for this showcase of the most innovative companies and technologies that are transforming the energy industry while driving a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.

This event kicks off September 14 and continues all week. Find details here.

September 20-23: 2026 Geothermal Rising Conference

Geothermal Rising Conference is the industry’s flagship annual conference, reflecting the global nature of the geothermal industry while highlighting the width and breadth of the community. The conference offers technical, policy, and market sessions, educational seminars, tours of geothermal and renewable energy projects, and numerous networking opportunities. An additional expo showcases projects, services, and state-of-the-art technology and equipment for the geothermal community.

This event begins September 20 at Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

September 22-23: 2026 API Offshore Safe Lifting Conference & Expo

The 2026 API Offshore Safe Lifting Conference & Expo is your opportunity to see the latest offshore developments while sharing experiences, practices, and even information on real-life incidents. The 2026 program features two full days of technical sessions, regulatory insights, and networking focused on advancing offshore lifting safety, with keynotes, emerging technologies, and multiple networking opportunities.

This event begins September 22 at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria. Register here.

September 22-24: Intelligent Asset Management in Energy Summit

The Intelligent Asset Management in Energy Summit is the premier North American event dedicated to helping energy leaders unlock the full potential of their assets through advanced analytics, predictive maintenance, and integrated digital strategies. The 2026 summit will cover how innovative asset management solutions can reduce downtime, optimize performance, and deliver measurable ROI in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

This event begins September 22 at Norris Conference Center. Register here.

Houston startup secures $5M to turn oilfield wastewater into critical minerals

fresh funding

Houston-based startup Altillion has secured $5 million in seed funding to accelerate the commercialization of its proprietary IRIS and ALIX technologies, which convert oilfield-produced water into valuable minerals.

San Francisco-based EIC Rose Rock and Houston-based Flathead Forge led the round. Altillion says the funding will go toward pilot facilities and commercial deployments as the company looks to scale in the U.S.

“Altillion’s efficient and scalable technologies are needed more than ever to reshape critical mineral recovery and facilitate beneficial use of oilfield brines,” Jay Keener, Altillion’s CEO and co-founder, said in a news release. “We’re uniquely positioned to provide a stable, domestic supply of the critical minerals needed for electronics, batteries, healthcare and national defense technologies. This investment from EIC Rose Rock and Flathead Forge enables us to strategically accelerate this impact and is very timely given the current geopolitical dynamics.”

Altillion's IRIS and ALIX platforms extract minerals like iodine, lithium and copper from oilfield-produced water, geothermal brines and salars. This process allows companies to unlock new sources of revenue while also boosting the domestic critical minerals supply chain. The company announced earlier this summer that it will launch a feasibility project in the Permian Basin and aims to develop a path to commercial-scale implementation in the field.

“We are excited to partner with Altillion to scale and deploy these world-class technologies to access the vast wealth hidden in wastewater,” David Clouse, Managing Director of EIC Rose Rock, added in the release. “With Altillion, we’re expanding our ability to empower the energy industry to domestically source the critical minerals America needs for a robust economy and supply chain.”

Altillion was founded by Keener and COO Scott Buckwald in 2023. Keener previously founded KDH Trading, where Buckwald also serves as COO, according to his LinkedIn page.

Houston's KBR to provide tech for Singapore SAF plant

SAF agreement

Houston engineering and technology contractor KBR has been picked as the technology provider for what’s expected to be Asia's first commercial-scale ethanol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant.

The proposed plant on Jurong Island in Singapore is being developed by Keppel Ltd.’s Infrastructure Division and Aster Chemicals and Energy. KBR will provide technology licensing and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) services based on its PureSAF technology.

The plant has a planned production capacity of up to 100,000 tons of SAF per year. The plant is subject to final investment decisions and regulatory approvals.

“We are looking forward to working with Keppel and Aster on this key project and to support Singapore’s ambition of becoming Asia’s leading SAF hub and advancing the ongoing efforts to decarbonize the country’s aviation ecosystem,” Stuart Bradie, KBR president and CEO, said in a news release.

According to KBR, its PureSAF Technology can process multiple feedstocks like bioethanol, syngas, carbon dioxide and hydrogen and convert them to SAF, diesel and gasoline.

The technology was developed by Swedish Biofuels AB and commercialized by KBR.

“KBR’s PureSAF is a feedstock-flexible, bankable technology that is designed to deliver a 100% drop in jet fuel, ready to power aircraft without blending,” Bradie added in the news release. “We are constantly innovating our SAF solution to make it compatible with feedstock availability in different regions and to enable the aviation industry to transition to low-carbon jet fuel with a cost-optimized approach.

KBR has also entered into a memorandum of intent with Keppel’s Infrastructure Division, which states that the companies will collaborate again on decarbonization efforts across biofuels, plastic recycling, digitalization via AI, and SAF.

KBR announced in October that it would spin off its Mission Technology Solutions business, nicknamed SpinCo. The scaled-down KBR, nicknamed RemainCo, would concentrate solely on sustainability technology and services designed to reduce carbon emissions and support energy transition efforts. SpinCo named its new CEO and CFO earlier this month.

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