BKV's Barnett Zero Wins Verra's First CCS Credit Approval

Verra approved the first project-level credits under its VM0049 carbon capture and storage methodology on November 6, 2026. The project is BKV Corporation's Barnett Zero in Bridgeport, Texas. The approval moves VM0049 from a published rulebook to a working credit pathway.

Verra is the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit behind the Verified Carbon Standard. BKV is a Denver-based natural gas producer that also develops carbon capture and storage projects.

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What Did Verra Approve for Barnett Zero?

Verra approved credits for Verra Project 6016, making Barnett Zero the first project to reach this stage under VM0049. Approval means the credits can now be issued. It does not mean they have been issued or sold.

GHD Limited, an independent validation and verification body, verified the project. Verra approved the credits after that independent verification was complete.

BKV reports approximately 375,800 metric tons of CO2 sequestered at Barnett Zero through June 30, 2026. The site has been storing CO2 since its first injection with EnLink Midstream. Verra has not published how many credits the approval covers.

Why Does VMD0062 Matter for Gas Processors?

VMD0062 is the module that lets natural gas processing plants use VM0049. VM0049 sets the overall rules for capture and storage, while the VMD0062 module defines how CO2 separated during gas processing is counted.

Raw natural gas often carries CO2 that must be removed before the gas enters a pipeline. Processors already separate that CO2 as routine work. VMD0062 gives them a way to pursue credits when the CO2 is stored permanently instead of vented.

BKV funded the development of VMD0062 through a sponsored, Verra-led process. Verra states that the funding was voluntary and carried no expectation of preferential treatment in approvals or issuance.

Verra CEO Mandy Rambharos framed Barnett Zero as a starting point for the methodology.

VM0049 itself has been active since June 2024. Earlier modules for direct air capture, transport and storage are covered in previous Decarbonfuse reporting.

Where Do Barnett Zero's Credits Stand Today?

Barnett Zero has cleared one defined step. Several others remain open. The table separates what has happened from what has not been reported.

Step	Status
Verra approval of credits for issuance	Announced November 6, 2026
Credit issuance	Now possible. The announcement does not report issuance
Credit sales	None reported in the announcement
VM0049 and modules VMD0056 to VMD0059	Approved by the ICVCM as meeting its Core Carbon Principles
VMD0062	Under ICVCM review
Barnett Zero credits labelled CCP	Not described that way in the announcement

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) approved VM0049 and four modules on September 28. VMD0062 is currently under ICVCM review. Until that review ends, Verra's announcement does not describe the Barnett Zero credits as CCP-labelled.

What Could the Milestone Mean for the Voluntary Carbon Market?

A first approved project gives developers a completed example to follow. Barnett Zero is the first project to pass independent verification and Verra credit approval under VM0049.

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Developers have other routes as well. The American Carbon Registry offers an updated CCS methodology released in May 2026. Projects in Texas can also draw on state Class VI permitting authority and the 45Q tax credit.

This announcement says nothing about credit prices, buyers or demand. Those details are not part of the approval.

Can the Model Spread Beyond Barnett Zero?

BKV operates two more gas processing capture projects. Neither has received VM0049 credit approval. Both show where the approach could be applied next.

Cotton Cove began commercial operations in April 2026. BKV expects it to sequester up to 32,000 metric tons annually. Eagle Ford has been operational since June 2026 and is expected to sequester up to 90,000 metric tons annually from a third-party-owned gas processing plant.

BKV Chief Executive Officer Chris Kalnin said the approval shows the approach can be measured and certified.

Eagle Ford matters for a specific reason. It works with a plant BKV does not own. That shows capture can extend to third-party gas plants.

Barnett Zero has also supported a commercial product before. BKV's 2023 carbon sequestered gas deal with ENGIE named Barnett Zero as the underlying sequestration project.

What to Watch Next as Verra Moves Toward Issuance

Two milestones stand out. The first is the outcome of the ICVCM review of VMD0062. The second is whether Verra issues credits to Barnett Zero.

Verra's CEO called Barnett Zero the first of many projects expected under VM0049. Other gas processors will now watch how quickly a second project follows.

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