Ocean CDR

Ocean alkalinity enhancement trial in the Gulf of Maine shows CO2 uptake without marine life harm

Gulf of Maine OAE Trial: CO₂ Captured, No Harm to Marine Life

The first ship-based ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) experiment just delivered results. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution poured 65,000 litres of sodium hydroxide into the Gulf of Maine in August 2025, and the findings are cautiously encouraging: 2–10 tonnes of CO₂ removed in four days, with up to 50 tonnes estimated total. No significant impact on marine life detected. Adam Subhas and his team presented these findings at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 in Glasgow. “We can definitely say that there was additional CO₂ uptake as a result of this experiment,” Subhas said. ...

First EPA-Permitted Ocean Alkalinity Trial Removes CO₂ Without Harming Marine Life

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has released preliminary findings from the first U.S. Environmental Protection Agency–permitted ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trial. The results, presented at the biennial Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, represent a significant step forward for marine carbon dioxide removal. What Happened In August 2025, the LOC-NESS (Locking Ocean Carbon in the Northeast Shelf and Slope) team conducted a six-hour dispersal of 65,000 liters of highly purified sodium hydroxide — a common water treatment chemical — into the surface waters of the Wilkinson Basin in the Gulf of Maine. A red tracer dye (Rhodamine Water Tracer) was released alongside it to track the alkalinity patch. ...

Study Maps the Best US Coastal Sites for Marine Carbon Removal

New research analyzes 38 US coastal facilities to identify the most promising hubs for electrochemical marine carbon dioxide removal.