Isometric Certifies Protocol to Register Carbon Credits for Direct Ocean Capture and Storage of CO2

Isometric carbon credit registry has certified the Direct Ocean Capture and Storage (DOCS) Protocol. This protocol outlines requirements and procedures for projects that use DOCS technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

DOCS is a form of Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) that takes the CO₂ directly from seawater, resulting in a CO₂ stream that can be stored in geological reservoirs. The CO₂-depleted seawater produced during the process is returned to the ocean, which Isometric said prompts re-equilibration of the atmosphere and surface ocean, resulting in the additional drawdown of atmospheric CO₂ and/or a reduction of natural ocean outgassing of CO₂.

The ocean sequesters 30% of all CO₂ emissions and 90% of the heat from climate change. It stores about 50% more CO₂ than the atmosphere does. Excessive production of CO₂ is resulting in a chemical imbalance leading to ocean acidification, damaging ocean health and risking ecosystems. Through a natural process called equilibration, the ocean continuously absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. DOCS aims to leverage this process to durably remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

In DOCS, seawater is drawn into a facility where electrical currents or chemicals are used to separate dissolved carbon dioxide from the water molecules. The decarbonized water is then returned to the ocean’s surface layer, where it absorbs more atmospheric carbon dioxide through equilibration—this is when carbon removal occurs. The carbon dioxide captured earlier in the process is then permanently stored.

Some organizations are currently working together to understand the impact of such technologies on the ocean ecosystem where they are conducted and whether such spot treatments could have detrimental effects in the long term. There is also some concern that the proliferation of carbon removal technologies will encourage the world’s continued dependence on the fossil fuels that are the main cause of the ocean acidification.

“We’re excited to welcome Isometric’s Protocol for Direct Ocean Capture and Storage, an important step forward for scientific rigor and transparency in this pathway,” said Dan Deviri, CEO, CarbonBlue. “This protocol will help ensure buyer confidence in DOCS credits and strengthen its position as a pivotal solution for scaling carbon removal.

The Isometric certification follows a public consultation that included feedback from buyers, suppliers, and leading academics with expertise in marine geochemistry. Full details on the evolution of the protocol, and how Isometric addressed feedback from the consultation, are available in the changelog and public consultation summary.

Isometric said DOCS has significant potential to scale, as it does not require large amounts of land, water, or mineral feedstocks and harnesses the vast carbon storage capacity of the ocean. This protocol utilizes Isometric’s Air-Sea Carbon Dioxide Uptake Module, which combines on-site measurements with internationally recognized ocean models to quantify carbon dioxide drawdown from the atmosphere.

Suppliers issuing credits under this protocol are able to use a range of carbon storage modules, including Saline Aquifers, In-Situ Mineralization, Ex-Situ Mineralization, Carbonation in the Built Environment and Dissolved Inorganic Carbon in Oceans. DOCS suppliers Captura, CarbonBlue, and SeaO₂ provided extensive feedback during development of the protocol and are the first signed up to issue credits under the protocol.

‍“We welcome the launch of Isometric’s Direct Ocean Capture and Storage Protocol,” said Ruben Brands, Founder & CEO of SeaO₂. “A transparent, science-led framework is essential to scaling DOCS responsibly and ensuring the ocean remains one of our greatest allies in the fight against climate change.”