Apache Opens CNG Station (USA)

Apache Opens CNG Station (USA)

The first compressed natural gas (CNG) station between Houston and Corpus Christi is now offering motorists lower fuel prices thanks to Apache and United Ag.

The CNG station has opened for business in El Campo, which is about 80 miles southwest of Houston on U.S. Highway 59. Apache added two CNG fueling dispensers to a conventional fueling station operated by United Ag, a cooperative serving the agricultural communities of the Texas Gulf Coast.

The fueling station is located about a half-mile off U.S. 59 at 909 S. Wharton St. in El Campo. The station is adjacent to a hardware store operated by the cooperative.

Motorists can now benefit from CNG fuel prices at nearly half the cost of regular unleaded gasoline.

As part of the deal with United Ag, Apache also installed a new canopy above the CNG and gasoline fuel dispensers at the station.

“The CNG station in El Campo is now open to serve the public as well as our Apache vehicles and other area fleets,” said Frank Chapel, Apache’s director of natural gas transportation fuels. “This station is also quite strategic as it is currently the only public-access CNG station between Corpus Christi and Houston.”

The new station in El Campo brings to seven the number of public-access CNG stations operated by Apache. In all, the company operates 19 CNG fueling stations in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana to support its fleet of natural gas-powered vehicles.

Apache also enables other fleets to fuel at its 12 private CNG stations through bulk sales agreements. The company has signed commercial sales agreements with 11 companies and is actively marketing to new customers.

Natural gas is gaining widespread acceptance as a transportation fuel with more than 17.2 million natural gas-fueled vehicles worldwide. NGV Global estimates that number will grow to more than 50 million vehicles in the next 10 years, representing about 9 percent of the world’s transportation fleets.

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LNG World News Staff, December 12, 2013; Image: Apache