SEATTLE (News release) -- Weyerhaeuser Company and Lapis Energy LP announced the execution of an exclusive exploration agreement for subsurface carbon dioxide sequestration in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The agreement covers 187,500 acres of subsurface rights owned by Weyerhaeuser and spans five potential sequestration sites, including two locations that were previously identified by Weyerhaeuser as prospective opportunities for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) development.

Under the exclusive two-year agreement, Lapis will determine the sequestration potential of each site. Upon successful completion of the technical and commercial assessments, Lapis will have the option to move sites into full-scale development agreements and complete the work required to permit, build and operate permanent CO2 sequestration sites serving large-scale industrial sources.

"This exploration agreement represents a unique opportunity to scale our CCS offerings and build our climate solutions portfolio more broadly," said Russell Hagen, senior vice president and chief development officer for Weyerhaeuser. "We look forward to working with Lapis to unlock the value of CCS development across our ownership in the U.S. South and help other companies reduce their carbon footprint."

Lapis is actively building a worldclass portfolio of CCS projects within North America. Lapis is backed by Cresta Fund Management, a Dallas-based investment manager with over $1.5 billion of assets under management specializing in middle-market sustainable infrastructure solutions.

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900 and today owns or controls approximately 10.5 million acres of timberlands in the U.S., as well as 14 million acres of timberlands managed under long-term licenses in Canada.