Carbon Pipelines Gain Momentum With New Tactics

Summit, Tallgrass, and ExxonMobil advance different models for expanding US carbon networks

22 Sep 2025

A series of announcements is reshaping the development of carbon pipelines in the US, as companies turn to fresh strategies to overcome public opposition and speed deployment.

Summit Carbon Solutions last week launched a payment programme for landowners and counties along its proposed 2,500-mile carbon dioxide network. The plan offers annual compensation rather than one-off settlements, a move designed to ease rural resistance and secure land rights for one of the country’s most ambitious carbon transport projects.

“By the time renewable generation and battery storage systems become bigger, better and more efficient, then the share of coal can come down,” PM Prasad, chair of state-owned Coal India, told the Financial Times in an interview.

Analysts say the approach could become a template for others, reflecting how social acceptance has become as important as engineering in building new energy infrastructure.

Tallgrass is pursuing a different path. Its Trailblazer pipeline, once used to move natural gas, is being converted to carry carbon dioxide. Approved in 2023, the repurposed line is expected to reach commercial operation in 2025. The project illustrates how using existing corridors can reduce permitting hurdles and accelerate construction.

ExxonMobil has meanwhile expanded through acquisition. In 2023 it completed its purchase of Denbury, gaining control of a 1,500-mile carbon dioxide network. The company has since committed $30bn to lower-carbon investments in 2024 and 2025, consolidating its role as a dominant player in the sector.

Critics argue that financial incentives may not settle concerns about safety, environmental risks, or the use of eminent domain. But with Summit testing recurring payments, Tallgrass advancing conversions, and ExxonMobil deploying capital at scale, carbon pipelines are emerging as a core element of the US energy transition.