The promise of CCS hinges on long-term, leak-proof storage, yet traditional monitoring systems fail to catch low-volume, diffuse leaks early.

This creates a credibility gap: if emissions slowly seep back into the atmosphere, climate benefits are undermined, stakeholders lose confidence, and liability soars.

Industry cannot confidently promise permanent sequestration when the 'silent seep' goes largely unseen and unmeasured.

Current detection technologies prioritize cost and major breaches, leaving a blind spot for slow, small-scale leaks.

Regulatory standards are outpaced by technical capabilities, and operational budgets rarely justify the investment in high-resolution monitoring, creating both technical and economic barriers.

Seismic surveys, periodic soil gas sampling, and satellite monitoring exist, but are too blunt, intermittent, or imprecise for micro-leak detection.

High-sensitivity continuous sensors are rare, expensive, and not widely deployed underground.