News for the natural gas for transportation industry worldwide
Gastec CNG Station, Nasr City (Oct 2013)
Italian energy giant Eni has made a world class supergiant gas discovery at its Zohr Prospect, in the deep waters of Egypt. The discovery could hold a potential of 30 trillion cubic feet of lean gas¹ in place, the largest gas discovery ever made in Egypt and in the Mediterranean Sea. The massive find may in time provide a major stimulus for natural gas as a transportation fuel nationally, and possibly regionally. Read more »
Gasrec Ltd, a pioneer of Bio-LNG (liquefied landfill biomethane) for transport fuel and supplier for gas powered HGVs on UK roads and staunch advocate for natural gas for transportation, has expressed dismay that the recently published London Assembly Environment Committee report – ‘Driving away from diesel – Reducing air pollution from diesel vehicles’ ignored one of the most promising technologies to offer a solution – natural gas. Read more »
Where oil prices are headed in 2015 might be anybody’s guess in the current capricious market, but some voices are saying it is only a matter of time, perhaps later this year, that the barrel price hits the floor and begins the upward climb, possibly in a vigorous way. John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil, agrees and points to natural gas as a viable solution for the transportation sector. Read more »
NGV Global has argued for some time that natural gas is becoming a mainstream fuel, not just an alternative. This year, the news of our industry has originated in many different regions, and although each region displays different characteristics and stages of development, it is clear to see natural gas for transportation is gathering momentum, no longer just confined to on-road transportation but to marine, off-road, rail and other modes.
Some of 2014’s highlight, notated per region, are listed below. Read more »
There is much argument about sustainable transportation, with many seemingly attractive alternatives vying for market attention. Some stay longer than others, some glimmer with hope for a brighter future, but thus far, none have endured like natural gas. Diego Goldin, NGV Global’s Executive Director, spoke to this topic at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum 2014 in October. Read more »
USA outpaces Europe with NG Powered HD truck volume of sales
New VW NGV models likely to stimulate other manufacturers in Europe
Peter Boisen, founding Chairman and now honorary Chairman with a permanent seat on the board of NGVA Europe, comments on the pace of change in the USA and the recent natural gas vehicle developments in Europe, particularly the impetus generated by Volkswagen. Read more »
The uncertainty surrounding oil markets has been demonstrated by an intervention last week from the International Energy Agency (IEA) calling for the release of 60 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves of its member nations. The intervention is only the third in the 35 year history of the IEA and is intended to ameliorate oil supply after disruption caused by events in Libya. While some analysts have questioned the need for the stock release at this time, it reminds us that oil supplies, the lifeblood of most economies, are a fragile balancing act. The release also follows a report issued by the IEA suggesting that we are entering a ‘golden age’ of natural gas. From an overall fuel supply perspective it highlights what the IEA refers to as “oil’s twilight” and the need for new mainstream alternatives. Read more »
Bangladesh trainees visit an authorised gas cylinder test station in Sydney, Australia.
For many fleet operators, the introduction of natural gas vehicles brings with it new safety considerations. Dr Hien Ly, an independent consultant in the natural gas vehicle arena, outlines some of these considerations, and the value of using qualified experts to fill important knowledge gaps.
“The sooner the safety program starts the more assured fleet safety will be.”
For some time now, the international natural gas vehicle industry has had in place active programs aimed at maintaining and improving CNG vehicle safety. Safety implementation is a necessary adjunct to vehicle acquisition and asset management policies for every fleet manager. It includes projects to produce technical standards and codes of practice, formal training courses for technical personnel, safety workshops at conferences and CNG cylinder safety workshops. Read more »
