Methanotrophic bacteria remove methane from the environment and convert it into methanol. An interdisciplinary team at Northwestern University has found that the enzyme responsible for the methane-methanol conversion catalyzes this reaction at a site that contains just one copper ion. The study is published in the journal Science. Bacteria that... Read more →

A study by a team of researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory has found that methane emissions from oil and natural gas production in the United States may not be rising as quickly as had been feared. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas... Read more →

School districts and transportation contractors can now purchase buses fueled by compressed natural gas that are 90% cleaner than the national emissions standard, opening more opportunities for funding that supports reduced emissions. ROUSH CleanTech developed the technology using Ford’s 6.8L V10 engine. It’s the first high-volume production CNG Type-C school... Read more →

Researchers from Hebei University of Technology, CATARC (China Automotive Technology & Research Center) qnd Shandong University report that soot and CO emissions could be substantially reduced in direct-injected natural gas engines without penalties in NOx and thermal efficiency via the coordination of PNPI (proportion of natural gas pre-injection), NPSOI (injection... Read more →

Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, announced a significant discovery at the Blacktip prospect in the deep water US Gulf of Mexico. Evaluation is ongoing and appraisal planning is underway to further delineate the discovery and define development options. Blacktip is Shell’s second material discovery in... Read more →

According to a new study published by the ifo Institue Center for Economic Studies (CESifo) in Germany, EVs will barely help cut CO2 emissions in the country over the coming years, as the introduction of electric vehicles does not necessarily lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions from road traffic... Read more →

Chevron Corporation entered into a definitive agreement with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Anadarko in a stock and cash transaction valued at $33 billion, or $65 per share. Chevron said that its acquisition of Anadarko will significantly enhance its upstream portfolio and further strengthen... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, continues to spearhead the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) technology, giving customers the widest choice of vehicles that are cleaner, more sustainable and offer even greater efficiency. Each vehicle has been designed and developed at SEAT’s headquarters in Martorell, and represents a... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will lower the price of compressed natural gas at all of its 13 public access natural gas vehicle fueling stations by $0.26 per gallon beginning 1 April. Through a California Public Utilities Commission approved program, the utility is able to offer a reduced price by... Read more →

Carbon dioxide emissions from S energy consumption will remain near current levels through 2050, according to projections in EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2019. The AEO2019 Reference case, which reflects no changes to current laws and regulations and extends current trends in technology, projects that US energy-related CO2 emissions will be... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will fund a field demonstration of adsorbed natural gas bi-fuel vehicles powered by natural gas compressing technology developed by Adsorbed Natural Gas Products, Inc. and Ingevity. Adsorbed natural gas technology uses Ingevity’s Nuchar activated carbon to reduce the storage pressure of natural gas without sacrificing... Read more →

The new Volkswagen Golf Variant TGI with three natural gas tanks. Golf Variant 1,5 TGI fuel consumption natural gas CNG in kg/100 km: urban 4.7 /extra-urban 3.0 / combined 3.6; CO2 emissions in g/km: 99; efficiency class: A+. › No need to compromise on space: Golf Variant TGI1 with space-saving... Read more →

The Audi A3 Sportback g-tron is starting the new model year with a technology update. With an increased tank volume, the compact model can cover around 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) (WLTP cycle) in natural gas operation. Presales at dealerships in Germany have begun, with a base price of €30,600. Equipped... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected nine projects as part of a multimillion-dollar effort funded jointly by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the California Energy Commission (CEC), and the Southcoast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to advance the state of technology for natural... Read more →

The US Department of Energy announced up to $51.5 million for new and innovative research of technologies for trucks, off-road vehicles, and the fuels that power them (DE-FOA-0002044). Funded through the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), this FOA addresses priorities in gaseous... Read more →

Reciprocating internal combustion engines (piston engines), which are typically used for backup, standby, or emergency power, are now becoming increasingly popular for larger utility-scale power generation applications, especially in areas with high levels of electricity generation from intermittent sources such as wind and solar, according to the US Energy Information... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and biogas producer Calgren Dairy Fuels announced that renewable natural gas produced at Calgren’s dairy digester facility in Pixley, California is being injected into SoCalGas pipelines. The project marks the first time that carbon-negative renewable natural gas produced from cow manure has been injected directly... Read more →

GTI has released a site-specific engineering design titled “Low-Carbon Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) from Wood Wastes”. GTI led a team of engineers and scientists to produce a blueprint for converting an existing biomass facility into an RNG production site, using the wood waste feedstock and some of the existing infrastructure.... Read more →

Volkswagen has equipped its natural gas models of the Polo TGI and Golf TGI with a third natural gas tank made of specially coated, high-strength steel. The Golf’s tank has a volume of 23 liters and increases the total CNG tank volume to 115 liters, or 17.3 kg respectively, which... Read more →

Rice University researchers have won a $3.3-million Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) OPEEN+ grant to develop a method to convert natural gas into carbon nanotubes for materials that can replace metals in large-scale applications. The goal is to save energy and stem carbon dioxide emissions from metal manufacturing... Read more →

Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and Onboard Dynamics, Inc. (ObDI) announced the field demonstration of new mobile compressor technology that provides on-site backup and supplemental compression at natural gas fueling stations. The new compressor—the GoFlo CNG80—is now being demonstrated at the Antelope Valley School Transportation Agency in Lancaster, California, where... Read more →

A new computational model could potentially boost efficiencies and profits in natural gas production by better predicting previously hidden fracture mechanics while accurately accounting for the known amounts of gas released during the process. By considering the closure of preexisting fractures caused by tectonic events in the distant past and... Read more →

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy announced up to $88 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects enhancing technologies for oil and natural gas recovery under two separate funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the projects selected under... Read more →

The amount of natural gas that can be technically recovered from future well locations has increased by 20% compared with an estimate made about five years ago—even while active drilling has depleted the resource—according to a new analysis by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Rice University.... Read more →

Hexagon Composites ASA signed an agreement to acquire the remaining 50% of Agility Fuel Solutions Holdings. The combined business will provide clean energy solutions to a wide range of end markets around the world, including household, industrial, gas transportation, marine, rail, and light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Agility Fuel Systems... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has launched the new SoCalGas Truck Loan Program. The program allows qualified fleet owners the opportunity to try out the latest in heavy-duty natural gas truck technology by test-driving a 12L near-zero truck. This “try before you buy” program provides fleet owners with the opportunity... Read more →

EMT, the transport company of the Spanish capital Madrid, is set to receive another 276 Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT urban buses with natural gas drive in the next two years. This will be the fourth major order from Madrid in quick succession. EMT placed its first order two years ago for... Read more →

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, will introduce the first SUV powered by compressed natural at the Paris Motor Show. The new Arona TGI marks the fourth vehicle in SEAT’s line-up to benefit from the cleaner, cheaper fuel, joining the Leon, Ibiza and Mii. The Arona TGI has been... Read more →

Cummins Westport Inc. announced that an independent study on the Cummins Westport ISX12N 400 hp natural gas engine demonstrated that the engine meets and exceeds California Air Resources Board’s (“CARB”) optional Low NOx standard of 0.02 g/bhp-hr. The study was prepared by the University of California, Riverside College of Engineering... Read more →

The US Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), California Energy Commission, and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) have teamed up to launch new research focused on medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engines and vehicles. Through a new request for proposals (RHQ-8-82305), NREL will award up to... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will soon begin using renewable natural gas for the first time at the 25 utility-owned natural gas vehicle fueling stations across its service territory, as well as at six fueling stations in the San Diego area. Last month, the utility received approval from the California... Read more →

A new study on ultra-low emission natural gas heavy-duty engines found that the new Cummins-Westport 11.9-liter engine achieved California’s lowest smog-forming emissions standard, and maintained those emissions during all types of driving. Cycle averaged NOx emissions for the ISX12N 400 equipped truck. Source: UCR. The study, prepared by researchers at... Read more →

Westport Fuel Systems Inc. has entered into definitive development and supply agreements with Weichai Westport Inc. (WWI) to develop, to market, and to commercialize a heavy-duty, natural gas engine featuring the Westport HPDI 2.0 technology, based on one of Weichai Power Co., Ltd.’s (Weichai Power) heavy-duty engine platforms. Weichai Power... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and Food Express, Inc. (FXI) announced the addition of 11 new ultra-low emission natural gas trucks to the FXI fleet. The company, with the assistance of SoCalGas, applied for and received $1.1 million in grant funding for the new Kenworth T680 trucks (earlier post) which... Read more →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) have awarded funding to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Stanford School of Engineering’s Spormann Laboratory to conduct new power-to-gas research. LLNL and Stanford will receive $800,000 from the US Department of Energy (DOE). SoCalGas will provide co-funding... Read more →

GTI (Gas Technology Institue) is leading a high-profile program on Hydraulic Fracturing Test Sites (HFTS) in the Permian Basin, bringing together government and industry to improve recovery, continue enhancing environmentally responsible methods of optimizing production, and lowering costs in the Midland and Delaware Basins. In January 2018, GTI was awarded... Read more →

Chemical reactor company INERATEC, a spinoff of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the Spanish company GAS NATURAL FENOSA have built a plant in Spain that produces synthetic natural gas from CO2 and renewable hydrogen. The process is based on the production of hydrogen by electrolysis (renewable power-to-gas) and its... Read more →

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has selected 16 projects to receive approximately $13.5 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development (R&D) projects that will advance solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technologies. SOFC technologies enable efficient, cost-effective electricity generation from abundant domestic coal... Read more →

UPS plans to build an additional five compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and add more than 700 new CNG vehicles including 400 semi-tractors and 330 terminal trucks. This $130-million dollar investment in CNG capacity for 2018 builds on previous UPS investments of $100 million dollars in 2016 and $90... Read more →

30% of the natural gas fueling UK homes and businesses could be replaced by hydrogen without requiring any changes to the nation’s boilers and ovens, a study by Swansea University researchers has shown. Over time the move could cut UK carbon dioxide emissions by up to 18%. The open-access study... Read more →

A study published by the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE) has explored the possible impact of increased electrification of road transportation and domestic heating and cooking on the energy system (electricity and gas), as well as on CO2 emissions and on GDP. The study is based on a set... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) introduced an innovative new solar-powered hydrogen generation system during the California Air Resources Board Technology Expo and Symposium at the University of California, Riverside. The project is a partnership between SoCalGas, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the STARS Corporation. The generation system uses sunlight... Read more →

A methanation plant expansion to the existing power-to-gas (PtG) facility in Falkenhagen, Germany has officially opened as part of the international €28-million (US$33.5-million) STORE&GO research project. Construction on the methanation plant began in July 2017. While the current facility feeds pure hydrogen (“WindGas”) directly into the gas grid, the new... Read more →

France-based energy major Total SA and Clean Energy Fuels Corp. have entered into a broad strategic agreement to drive deployment of new natural gas heavy-duty trucks. Total has agreed to purchase up to 50.8 million shares of Clean Energy’s common stock for $83.4 million, to become Clean Energy’s largest stockholder... Read more →

Six trucking firms operating in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are deploying trucks powered by Cummins Westport (CWI) near-zero ISX12N engines (earlier post), and fueled with Clean Energy Fuels Corp.’s Redeem brand renewable natural gas (RNG) in an effort to reduce emissions and improve air quality in... Read more →

People who live closer to fracking sites are more familiar with and more supportive of hydraulic fracturing, while those who live in proximity to areas of higher oil and gas well density are more familiar with but not necessarily more supportive of the practice, a new study from Oregon State... Read more →

Volkswagen showcased three new drive systems at the Vienna Motor Symposium: the new 48 V mild hybrid system that will debut on the eighth-generation Golf in 2019 (earlier post); new high-tech diesel engines that will also be available as hybrid variants; and an advanced natural gas engine. The technologies showcased... Read more →

The US Department of Energy has chosen a team led by a chemical engineer from the University of Houston for a $2-million project to develop and optimize a lower-cost, more efficient catalyst to eliminate unreacted methane in natural gas fuel. Primarily made up of methane, natural gas is a cleaner... Read more →

Researchers from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDSMT) are heading a project to to investigate methane cycling in deep and extreme environments and to develop new biological routes using previously unexplored and novel microorganisms from extreme environments for converting methane into value-added products such as liquid biofuels, biopolymers,... Read more →

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the government will grant no further offshore oil and gas exploration permits. Existing permits will not be affected. Energy and Resources Minister Dr. Megan Woods said that this year’s block offer will be limited to onshore acreage in Taranaki alone. The onshore... Read more →