WorldWide Drilling Resource

Are Natural Gas Vehicles the Future? Compiled by Bonnie Love, Editor WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Considering the abundant supply of domestic natural gas in the U.S., it just makes sense the country would see a surge in the use of natural gas as a fuel for vehicles. The fact compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquified natural gas (LNG) used in vehicles costs less and has lower emissions than diesel or gasoline also has a lot to do with the increase. Currently, transit buses are the largest users of natural gas for vehicles, and waste collection vehicles are among the fastest-growing segments making the change to natural gas vehicles. However, companies throughout America are taking notice and joining the natural gas vehicle movement. Just last fall, home improvement giant Lowe’s launched a dedicated fleet of nat- ural gas-powered trucks at its regional distribution center inMount Vernon, Texas. The company expects to not only reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 20%, but the transition from a diesel- fueled fleet to trucks powered by LNG, will also help control fuel costs as the company transports up to 68 truckloads each day to stores in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. “The transition to [a natural-gas-pow- ered] fleet was a natural step for Lowe’s because of the economic and environ- mental benefits of natural gas,” said Steve Palmer, Lowe’s vice president of trans- portation. “Given the amount of natural gas that’s available domestically, broad- ly utilizing natural gas will give us an opportunity to better control our trans- portation fuel costs in the coming years. Our goal is to replace all of our diesel- powered dedicated fleets with natural gas trucks by the end of 2017.” Shipping companies such as FedEx and UPS are also reaping the benefits of natural gas vehicles. Unfortunately, it seems the demand for natural gas vehicles has moved ahead of refueling station development. There are about 135,000 natural gas vehicles in the U.S.; however, there are only about 1300 fueling stations. More than 70% of the natural gas fueling stations are in California, partially due to the state’s envi- ronmental and clean air standards. For the natural gas vehicle movement to become a lasting success, changes have to be made. In addition to keeping natural gas prices competitive, refueling stations must be built and vehicle man- ufacturers will need to create the high- pressure and insulated fuel tanks used to store CNG and LNG in a timely manner while keeping them affordable. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the coun- try has enough natural gas to last near- ly 100 years. That number may change thanks to hydraulic fracturing and ad- vanced horizontal directional drilling tech- nology which is helping natural gas plays produce more than expected. WWDR attended the grand opening of a natural gas refueling station in Tallahassee in 2012. Florida State University and Leon County Schools displayed their natural gas vehicles at the event. WWDR photo. 20 MARCH 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® ciudad importante de EEUU. Así es como, ella recorto el presupuesto de la ciudad, elevo los estándares, y ayudo a limpiar la ciudad, trayendo reformas fuertes en una época de corrupción. TBM Bertha, nombrada por los estudi- antes de primaria, es la maquina más grande de túneles. Ella actualmente está trabajando bajo Seattle en el Programa de Remplazo del Viaducto de la vía de Alaska. Mamá Chung La Doctora Margaret “Mamá” Chung fue la primer mujer medica China- Americana en los EEUU. Ella practico en San Francisco y tomo miles de sol- dados bajo su ala durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, compartiendo alimen- tos, guiándolos, y enviándoles regalos. TBM Mamá Chung, nombrada por una encuesta en línea, está trabajando construyendo el túnel para el metro central de San Francisco. A veces TBM trabaja en pares y son nombradas de acuerdo. Por ejem- plo, TBM Victoria y Elizabeth están per- forando túneles bajo London como parte de un proyecto de vías que fue men- cionado en la edición de Noviembre del 2013 de WWDR . Los compañeros TBM Thelma y Louise crearon túneles para el metro Red Line de Los Ángeles. Mientras la tradición continua, da a los trabajadores una conexión person- al a los trabajos de perforación y a la comunidad una razón para envolverse en los avances que toman lugar en su medio. Tunneling trans. cont’d from page 18. &% ! "" * "(%$ ))) (" $( ' & $ %# # " (" $( $ ( " !" !! ! &% ! % ! (" $( & $ $ $ " ! $ $ ! ! $ ! $ # $ $ $ National Groundwater Awareness Week is March 9-15, 2014 A time to remember one of our most vital resources