The numbers presented are funny.

Global carbon dioxide emissions hit an all-time high of 36 billion metric tons last year.

Discussing Occidental's plants:

Powered by solar energy, and have the potential to capture and sequester 500,000 metric tons (0.0000005 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide per year.

Which then they say they plan on building more of said plants:

Occidental said it planned to build 100 facilities, each capable of capturing 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year

The annual amount captured magically doubles bringing it up to 0.000001 billion metric tons per plant and 0.0001 billion metric tons total annually.

It really seems like we should listen to the Vicki Hollub, Occidental’s chief executive, when they state the real purpose of direct air capture which could:

“preserve our industry. This gives our industry a license to continue to operate for the 60, 70, 80 years that I think it’s going to be very much needed.”

This is ignoring their main usage of that 0.0001 billion metric tons is for oil extraction thus increasing the 36 billion metric tons.

In other words shame on the NYT for burying the lead and being deceptive with their numbers.

(@facedeer, I'd be curious to get your take on this article)