Carbon capture and storage projects face a growing insurance problem: standard policies often end before operator responsibilities do. A joint report from the Geneva Association, the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, and the Clean Energy Ministerial CCUS Initiative found that post-closure monitoring, shared infrastructure, and network-wide disruptions fall outside many existing coverage arrangements. Operators can remain responsible for underground storage sites for decades after injection stops, leaving long-term liabilities hard to insure. The report recommends bringing insurers into CCS project planning before contracts and infrastructure designs are finalized. It also calls for clearer rules on liability, monitoring, and transfer of responsibilities after sites close. Where private insurers cannot price these risks, government-backed arrangements or public-private partnerships may be needed. More operational data would help insurers set premiums and coverage limits over time.
