New Tools Aim to Clarify CO2 Pipeline Risks

New CO2 modeling tools may bolster safety planning, though broad adoption remains distant

19 Nov 2025

A new wave of carbon-dioxide pipeline modeling is drawing interest across the transport sector as developers seek sharper tools for designing the next generation of U.S. CO₂ corridors. The emerging software aims to better capture the compound shifts in pressure and temperature that govern CO₂ behavior, factors engineers and regulators have long described as challenging when preparing safety assessments.

The attention comes during a period of accelerated project activity. Companies planning new routes or converting existing assets face heightened scrutiny over permitting, reliability and protection standards. Analysts said more advanced modeling could eventually strengthen early design work and provide clearer support for safety case documentation as systems expand.

Federal momentum is adding weight to that effort. The Department of Energy continues to fund research intended to improve CO₂ infrastructure planning, and developers say more sophisticated models could bolster the technical underpinnings needed for future reviews. Some investors, responding to concerns raised after release incidents in recent years, have also expressed interest in analytical tools that might reduce long-term uncertainties.

Companies are pursuing separate technology paths as the landscape evolves. Tallgrass is moving ahead with its conversion of the roughly 400 mile Trailblazer pipeline for CO₂ service, positioning the line as a regional transport backbone. Other initiatives in the broader carbon management space, including Shell’s collaboration with NVIDIA on rapid subsurface storage modeling, signal a wider shift toward data driven planning, though these are not direct pipeline flow tools.

Experts caution that commercial adoption of next generation models remains limited. Validation efforts, common data standards and operational experience will be necessary before any tool becomes routine in design practice. Still, analysts view the steady development of advanced modeling capabilities as a constructive step that could improve route optimization, risk evaluation and long term planning.

As federal support increases and project activity accelerates, these evolving approaches may help shape safer and more resilient CO₂ transport networks in the years ahead.