Growth on the Horizon for Renewable Natural Gas Transportation

Renewable natural gas (RNG) as a transportation fuel has been on the rise and continues to see growth, while transit and marine transportation providers in Norway are looking at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) version of LNG. A renewable energy business also signed an agreement that fuels539 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

Renewable Natural Gas Transportation Natural gas can be created from waste, including food waste in landfills and agricultural waste on farms. By taking this waste and using technology, we can turn it into RNG which can be used to power of fuel anything that’s already running on natural gas, including our vehicles. Sustainable America states that “Based on proven technology and existing feedstocks, waste-derived RNG could conceivably displace or replace around 7 billion gallons of diesel per year if it all went to the vehicle market. Plus, when RNG is used to fuel vehicles, it has lower emissions than gasoline, and it eliminates the methane emissions the waste would’ve produced if left to decay.”

This article also states that one of the reasons we’re not using more of RNG for transportation is due to high project costs, and limited demand for the fuel. However, the demand is beginning to increase and various companies and industries are beginning to invest in RNG.

Natural Gas Intel discusses Finland-based Wartsila’s technology that is used “to liquefy small methane-based gas streams and is being used to create biogas from paper mill and fishery operations. The technology is to be applied at an installation by Biokraft Norway at the Norske Skog Skogn paper mill near Trondheim, Norway. A marine natural gas fueling provider, Wartsila expects strong demand in the land-based transportation market for liquefied biogas fuel.”

But it’s not only Finland who is interested in using CNG for transportation. “The California Air Resources Board (CARB) also has certified North American Repower’s dedicated-NGV, spark-ignition version of the 7.6-liter International DT 466 engine for Class 5-8 trucks and buses. The company offers a retrofit package, including the engine, CNG fuel tanks and fill panel fully installed in three days. The DT 466 conversion was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year for vehicles through model year 2004. Officials said there are more than 39,000 retrofits in California alone.”

As businesses find success with RNG and CNG, other companies and organizations are beginning to understand the benefits of these resources. For example, Clean Energy Fuels Corp. is working with Waste Pro USA to improve its CNG fueling capabilities and creating fueling facilities in Sanford and Sarasota, Florida.

Another example is that Waste Pro is committed to transforming its fleet of refuse collection from diesel to CNG. This means, they’re purchasing mostly large, 12-liter Cummins Westport CNG engines and a few smaller 8.9-liter engines from Mack.

Businesses are continuing to use these resources and growth is predicted to increase.

CPV is a leading manufacturer of high quality valves and fittings for your plant. Browse our valves and fittings online or contact us directly for more information.

The Growing Trend of Simulation Technology in the Oil and Gas Sector

As the price of oil drops, hydrocarbon companies are beginning to look at ways to reduce their own costs. Simulation technology is a way for the oil and gas industry to be innovative and uncover unused capacity or capability.

Understanding Simulation Technology

In an article regarding simulation technology, Control Engineering describe it as “is the science and art of replicating the essential elements of a problem or opportunity. It is not digital twinning, where one attempts to copy reality. Rather, is designed to mimic reality in a controlled environment.”

Why to Use Simulation

Although it’s not widely adopted in the industry yet, but based on results from those who have used it, it’s definitely something to consider, especially to uncover unused capacity or capability. Control Engineering has outlined some of the main ways simulation technology can be helpful:

Users can experiment with different physical configurations or operating schedules before making changes in their facilities.
There is a possibility of creating and modifying individual and collective behaviors through the use of simple logic or business rules, such as blending, crude management, or batch sequencing.
Users can find practical ways of exploring existing assets, discovering unseen relationships, and improving opportunities.
There is a potential for interaction with users that increases the engagement at different levels (i.e., schedulers, managers, executives, etc.).
Communicating with other systems, such as reservoir simulators, instrument sensors, and control centers; and incorporating the information (past or real time) as input into the simulation.

The Relationship Between Games and Simulation

The Entertainment Software Association Foundation found that 155 million Americans play video games, and that 70% of senior executives play games during work hours. Gaming encourages collaborative play and problem solving. Many games are also easy and convenient, as it’s possible to play on computers, tablets and smart phones.

In many ways, simulation can be considered a game. Simulation technology involves tweaking variables and finding the best solution to a problem, just like a player wins a game.

The Benefits of Simulation

The oil and gas industry is late to utilizing simulation technology, but many other industries have found great success and consider simulation a fundamental tool. Industries such as telecommunications, logistics, healthcare and financial services are using simulation to innovate and uncover unused capabilities. Control Engineering details two examples from 3M and Airbus. “U.S. industrial manufacturer 3M uses simulation to support decisions in their supply chain management. The French aircraft company Airbus uses simulation to control the manufacturing process of airplanes. In addition, some hospitals have implemented simulation to train staff and allocate resources based on workflow and forecasted patient inflow.”

CPV Manufacturing’s valves and fittings are used worldwide in the gas and oil industry. Browse our valves and fittings online or contact us directly for more information about how CPV can help your plant.

The Cyber Security Threat Facing Oil and Gas Organizations

Within the past year, and even the past month, there has been a drastic increase in cyber attacks against oil and gas organizations. Within the past 30 years, the oil and gas sector has been a main target of these attacks, with one of the most famous being against Saudi Aramco in 2012 by the terrorist organization Cutting Sword of Justice.

Oil and Gas Organizations This attack was launched to stop the gas production in Saudi Arabia’s largest exporter within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). While the attack didn’t disrupt production, it affected 30,000 computers and was “one of the most destructive cybersecurity strikes against a single business,” according to the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

After this famous, crippling attack, oil and gas companies realized that it was crucial to evaluate their own security efforts and identify any areas that were lacking for their safety.

Learn more about cyber attacks against the oil and gas industry and find out what you can do to protect your companies.

Creating a Plan of Protection

In an article by Control Engineering, published on February 23, 2016, they stated that according to a report sponsored by Tripwire and conducted by Dimensional Research in November 2015, 82% of oil and gas industry respondents said their organizations registered an increase in successful cyber attacks over the past 12 months. Fifty-three percent of respondents said the rate of the cyber attacks has increased between 50% and 100% in just the past month.

Gas Production Many people in this report also revealed that they aren’t confident in their organizations’ security or ability to identify the attacks. Tim Erlin, director of security and IT risk strategist at Tripwire, said that the industry should focus on reducing the number of attacks by eliminating threat actors and reducing the overall attack surface.

Oil and gas companies should “look at how they can detect anomalous activity or unauthorized changes in their control environments in order to improve this metric,” Erlin said.

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability has made an effort to address the security challenge. According to the DOE, “Ensuring a resilient electric grid is particularly important since it is arguably the most complex and critical infrastructure that other sectors depend upon to deliver essential services.”

The DOE also published the Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity. This plan states that “by 2020, resilient energy delivery systems are designed, installed, operated and maintained to survive a cyber incident while sustaining critical functions.”

The industry is on the hunt for more tools and methods to ensure cyber security for oil and gas companies. As the global market opportunity continues to grow, so are the predicted number of threats. However, this also means that there’s greater opportunity to protect this critical infrastructure.

As an oil or gas company, make sure that you’re prepared for such attacks and that you have a plan for handling them should one occur.

Contact CPV Manufacturing to learn more about their high-quality fittings and valves.

The Opening of North America’s First LNG Marine Fuel Terminal

Recently, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has been making a huge impact on the fuel industry, as companies are opting to use this type of gas due to its low emissions. The demand for LNG sparked the opening of the first LNG marine fueling terminal opening in North America.

Learn more about this terminal and its importance to marine vessels.

Harvey Gulf International Marine, LLC

InternationalMarine They’re founded on the premise “that superior performance and safer operations provide our customers value and satisfaction.” This led them to recognize the need for the fueling terminal.

Their theme of “no harm to the environment” triggered the development of up to six dual-fueled LNG-powered offshore supply vessels under construction in addition to the LNG fueling facility in Port Fourchon.

CEO Shane Guidry stated that it’s the company’s mission to promote the use of LNG as a marine alternative fuel, which he noted is “clean, abundant, and cost-effective.”

About the Terminal

According to Natural Gas Intel, Harvey Gulf officials said the “bunkering involved the transfer of 43,000 gallons of LNG in about 2.25 hours without incident. The first transfer was done on January 29th, and there have been four subsequent transfers.”

LNG When discussing the terminal’s capabilities when announcing the opening, Harvey Gulf officials stated that this terminal meets all US LNG safety and fire code requirements. They also said that it can deliver LNG at the rate of 550 gallons per minute. The facility’s maximum onsite storage capacity is 270,000 gallons, held by 90,000-gallon USG type-C vacuum-insulated tanks.

Chad Verret, a Harvey Gulf Executive Vice President, told Natural Gas Intel, “Our small facility is designed to meet the same criteria that major LNG export facilities have to meet. Even though we are a small, 2.5-3-acre facility, we use the same regulatory framework that large import-export terminals use.”

He also stated that they used two national LNG standards to design the marine fueling facility, meeting requirements of 33 CFR part 127 NFPA 59A.

What It Has to Offer

The opening of this LNG fueling terminal allows Harvey Gulf to provide an LNG bunkering point, which could be necessary to the continuing shift to utilize LNG as a marine fuel.

Harvey Gulf’s fleet has a collection of offshore support vessels that range from 175 feet to 340 feet, which include supply, fast supply, and construction vessels.

This terminal is the only one of its kind and could mean a huge shift in terms of LNG use.

CPV Manufacturing designs and manufactures high-quality valves and fittings that exceed the requirement of industry and customer specifications. Contact CPV Manufacturing today to learn more about our products.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of LNG Transportation Methods

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been on the rise in the gas industry, and it’s a proven and available solution for the shipping industry. But LNG transportation has been a drawback in many cases. Because of its makeup, it can be difficult to store and transport.

Learn more about LNG and the best ways to transport it.

Understanding LNG & LNG Transportation

MarineInsight describes LNG as a natural gas (e.g., methane) in a liquid form that’s supposed to be known as the cleanest combustible fuel. It’s comparatively available in abundance and relatively inexpensive. The US leads in LNG usage, with 76% of US homes using LNG as heating fuel.

LNG is a liquid form of natural gas and condensed at -160 degrees Celsius at atmosphere pressure. When being transported, LNG must be compressed into liquid, as gas occupies more space than liquid.

To transport LNG while maintaining the various properties, there are three major types of LNG containment systems used in ships: membrane, Moss, and prismatic.

Learn more about why each one is beneficial.

Types of LNG Cargo Tanks

Membrane

Gaztransport and Technigaz designed the membrane type containment system.

LNG Transportation Technigaz originally designed the Mark-III tank. Its primary membrane consisted of stainless steel, and its secondary membrane was made of triplex and polyurethane foam reinforced with fiberglass.

Gaztransport originally designed the GT-96 tank, with both primary and secondary membranes made of Invar and the insulation being plywood boxes filled with perlite.

GTT designed the CS-1, which is a combination of Mark-III and GT-96 where the primary membrane is Invar and the secondary membrane is triplex.

Moss

The Moss LNG vessel is a spherical containment system that now has over 100 vessels in operation. Due to its spherical shape, the tank “enables high accuracy of predicted stresses and fatigue life of all parts of the tank structure, thereby eliminating the need for a full secondary barrier.”

The tanks are made of aluminum and supported by a structural transition joint, which acts as a thermal break between steel and aluminum. They’re insulated with polyurethane foam that’s purged with nitrogen. There’s a partial barrier beneath the sphere, which is fitted, and a gas sampling system is fitted to catch leakage.

There are many advantages of this type of containment system, such as the lowest LNG heel possible because of the spherical design. These tanks are also independent of the ship’s hull and therefore not affected by the ship’s hull strength or damaged by the hull.

Prismatic

The first maritime LNG containment system was a prismatic Type A tank installed in a World War II-era cargo ship converted for gas carriage under ABS class in 1958. Prismatic refers to the tank’s beveled geometry.

The main benefits of the tank are “a proven immunity to sloshing problems that allows LNG ships to go to sea partially loaded – even in harsh weather – and a customizable geometry that, among other benefits, results in the kind of flat-deck vessels needed for floating processing plants.”

Learn more about CPV Manufacturing and our superior valves and fittings. If you have any questions, please contact us today.

Using LNG as an Alternative Fuel

There are many benefits of using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative fuel, and the industry has picked up traction over the last few years. There has been a lack of fueling infrastructure and costs that have made companies consider LNG as a source of their own.

However, one of the main issues is that, although there’s plenty of LNG to meet these company’s needs, there are major concerns about whether they’re located close to the LNG and if the production can be repeated.

Lng storage LNG Industry discusses the expansion production infrastructure that addresses the concerns of end users, such as supply availability, proximity, and reliability.

Learn more about Applied LNG and the opportunity they saw to create an LNG showcase market.

LNG Production Facility in Texas, US

Applied LNG discovered the market in Texas, which has potential end users who are involved in the trucking, oilfield, mining, rail, marine, agricultural, commercial, and industrial sectors.

An in-state LNG plant was serving Texas, but additional supplies were being shipped from as far away as Tennessee. LNG wasn’t being adopted as quickly because it seems like it was only available at this slow pace.

Applied LNG set out to create an LNG production facility in Midlothian, TX. All of the plans were in motion until they experienced a setback when oil prices dropped.

They had spent significant funds and completed a great deal of work, so the project continued at planned. Applied LNG’s financing partner, Texas Capital Bank, approved of the decision to move forward.

The Reason Behind the Location

Why did Applied LNG select Midlothian, TX, for the site of the production facility? At approximately 30 mile south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, there was careful consideration of this selection that included three major factors: “Proximity to a diverse customer mix that can potentially use LNG as an alternative fuel, weighing the customer mix based on likelihood and schedule for adopting LNG, and availability of LNG from existing sources.”

All of these factors were crucial and would make or break the production facility.

The Liquefaction Technology

LNG storage 2 While the project begins with just one liquefaction train, it continues until it contains six liquefaction trains at full build-out.

Two different types of gas supply options were evaluated, with the difference being cost, schedule, and terms, while one is odorized and the other is non-odorized. Applied LNG selected the non-odorized supply.

The Project’s End

After taking roughly 24 months until commercial operations, the plant construction was completed in 2015.

Today, the Dallas-Midlothian LNG Plant is located on a 31-acre property in the city of Midlothian, near the Texas oil patch and other industrial areas.

It contains two truck loading bays, and daily LNG production is 86,000 gallons, which will be 516,000 gallons at full build-out. The annual production is 30 million gallons, with 180 million gallons at full build-out. And it stores 300,000 gallons, with 1.5 million gallons at full build-out. While there’s just one production train now, there will be six at full build-out.

Learn more about the high-quality valves and fittings offered at CPV Manufacturing. If you have any questions, please contact us today.

The Impact the Gases Industry Could Have on Homecare

Many people need medical assistance in their homes, and many ailments require the use of gases. Comprised of respiratory services, oxygen therapy, sleep therapy, and ventilation services, homecare is on the rise because people can have the technology delivered right to their doors instead of going to a hospital for treatment.

So what does the future hold for this growing side of the medical market? Gasworld discussed this industry in their October 2015 issue. Keep reading to learn more.

Understanding Homecare and Its Potential for Growth

Homecare is already a trend in today’s health industry, and it’s only going to continue growing. As demographics are rising for people living longer and technology is expanding, people are becoming more willing to be treated at home.

The homecare market seeks to deliver quality, affordable healthcare without becoming too costly. This demand for homecare has caused a spike in the production of portable oxygen concentrators, airway pressure devices, and ancillary equipment.

Two diseases in particular are thought to be an underlying growth potential for the respiratory systems market. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is predicted to be the world’s third-leading cause of death by 2030, and sleep apnea syndrome affects up to 5% of the global population up to the age of 40.

Companies Active in the Homecare Business

Air Liquide and The Linde Group have built their presence in this industry over the past few years. The Linde Group played a role in the industry when acquiring Florida-based Lincare Holdings Inc. They also acquired the Continental-European homecare business of Air Products.

Air Liquide acquired Spanish home healthcare company Gasmedi, French homecare company LVL Medical Groupe, and most recently Baywater Healthcare Ireland Limited.

The Future for Homecare

Some businesses excel while other businesses don’t do as well. Air Products exited the market in 2012 and said that homecare trends that required concentrators and non-oxygen therapies didn’t align with its gases business. However, Air Liquid and Linde saw an accelerated amount of revenue from the industry.

Currently, patients are receiving the best in healthcare, and technologies are continuously produced to improve the results. Gas companies are finding success in homecare, and this will continue to grow.

Gasworld outlined a report by Transparency Market Research that the global IT-enabled healthcare market is expected to grow at a marked compound annual growth rate of 11.8% from 2014 to 2020. If trends continue at this rate, the homecare business will reap rewards.

About CPV Manufacturing

CPV’s high-quality valves and fittings are also used in the oil and gas industry. In this industry, it’s essential that all products perform properly for efficiency and safety and to minimize risks.

CPV’s innovative designs have become fundamental in the daily functions of gas-filling stations and plants, increasing productivity as well as accuracy.

Click here to find out more about CPV’s products.

Emission Control Areas: Paving the Way for Increased Demand in Cryogenic Valves

Companies are seeing a rise in the demand for cryogenic valves from the marine sector in the US as shipbuilders and owners increasingly opt for fuel-efficient liquefied natural gas (LNG) power.

Many attribute this trend to the new emissions control areas (ECAs), which increase the number of dual-fuel vessels that are commissioned and required cryogenic valves. Shipbuilders and owners have switched to LNG power to be able to operate on different fuel oils, depending on where they are in accordance with the ECAs.

What Are ECAs?

Pipes Outdoors Annex VI defines two sets of emission and fuel quality requirements: global requirements and more stringent requirements applicable to ships in ECAs. An ECA can be designated for SOx and PM, NOx, or all three types of emissions from ships, subject to a proposal from a Party to Annex VI.

Existing ECAs include the following:

Baltic Sea
North Sea
North American ECA, including most of the US and Canadian coast
US Caribbean ECA, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands

According to gasworld magazine, all vessels in the ECA of the Baltic Sea, North Sea, English Channel, and waters 200 nautical miles from the coast of the US and Canada must reduce their sulfur emissions to 0.1%. To do so, the maximum sulfur content of the fuel oils loaded, bunkered, and used on board must be limited. This is why most ships will begin to operate on different fuel oils.

As shipbuilders and owners switch to LNG, they require cryogenic valves. Because they’re being used in marine applications, the valves must have fire-safe properties and be able to withstand a minimum temperature of 925 degrees Celsius.

When LNG becomes liquefied, it reduces the volume by 600 times, so transporting the fuel is much more economical by sea.

Why Are Cryogenic Valves Important?

Cryogenic valve product lines are used in various applications and designed to perform and function in excessive conditions and temperatures. It’s important that your valves are durable and work properly in order for them to last.

CPV Manufacturing offers the highest-quality valves and fittings to reduce complication and ensure safety on a ship in order to protect the vessel and all the members onboard.

The company has designed excellent valves, such as the O-Seal system, which permits slip-in/slip-out speed and efficiency. The system withstands heavy vibrations or pressure surges better than other types of valves.

CPV also equips the vessels of the US Navy with O-Seal valves and fittings for their safe operation. These vessels are equipped with O-rings, instrument/gauge valves and fittings, and relief valves in air and hydraulic systems.

If you’re looking for cryogenic valves that you can count on, contact CPV Manufacturing. We design and manufacture products that exceed the requirements of industry and customer specifications. Rely on CPV products for the highest industry standards.

Weighing the Potential Benefits and Risks of US Ethane Export

In 2014, the world’s first large ethane carrier, VLEC, grew to require a dedicated fleet of ships for intercontinental trade. Since then, however, the price of oil has undergone a decline, causing uncertainty for natural gas liquids (NGLs).

Maritime Professional magazine claims that “the export of ethane will eventually happen, in concert with market conditions. When that happens, specialized tonnage will be needed to fill that growing market niche.”

Learn more about ethane and the benefits and risks of its export from the US.

About Ethane and NGLs

cpv Ethane is a by-product of natural gas and predicted to be in demand in the coming years, like other NGLs.

NGLs are valuable co-products that can possibly drive the economics and create gas production growth, but they were once seen as only secondary by-products of gas production. In particular, wet gas, which is natural gas that has a high level of NGLs present, is predicted to determine the natural gas production levels in the US because the cost is lower than in areas that are drilled solely for dry gas.

The industrial value of ethane remains high among petrochemical manufacturers, but transporting it in volumes that make sense economically is challenging.

Transporting Ethane

Ethane hasn’t traditionally been traded in global markets due to the difficulties of liquefying it and transporting it in bulk.

2 Mechanical Engineers Liquefying petroleum gases for transport requires lowering the temperatures. The more the temperature needs to be lowered, the more problems arise. Ethane is one of the most technically difficult gasses to ship.

In addition to the low temperatures posing to be a challenge for transportation, only the ethylene carrier is equipped to transport ethane. These types of ships are equipped with a specific type of semi-pressurized containment systems called Type C.

Also, ethane is usually transported by small parcels, which are in high demand. According to Maritime Professional, “About 70% of the existing fleet of 160-odd ethylene-capable carriers offers a cargo capacity of 10,000 cubic meters or less. This, however, puts economic constraints on multinational petrochemical manufacturers that would like to move ethane on the long-haul trades, such as those from the U.S. to Asia or Europe.”

Processing Ethane

Another challenge that ethane presents is that there’s no availability to process the ethane, as all US chemical companies are at capacity. So although ethane gas is a potentially promising niche sector, it can be predicted that owners will opt for other sources to lessen the risk.

It’s estimated that the ethane export market from the US has potential, but the timing of this is unclear.

Contact CPV Manufacturing for information about their valves, fittings, and other products.

How the Stroop Effect Can Create Potential Gas Cylinder Disasters

At a filling plant, it’s important for operations to run smoothly because mix-ups could lead to disaster. It’s also important for operations to be efficient wherever possible and to establish a time- and money-saving system that will allow the plant to achieve this.

It’s crucial that gas cylinders are always labeled properly and not mixed up. Cylinders containing specific gases can’t be mixed up because this could result in disaster. For example, in hospitals, the carbon dioxide and oxygen cylinders can’t be mixed up because a patient inhaling carbon dioxide instead of oxygen is very harmful to the body.

For this reason, it’s critical that cylinders are properly labeled and confusion avoided at all costs.

Learn more about the best cylinder-labeling methods, what to avoid, and what could be the most beneficial for your filling plant.

What Is the Stroop Effect?

The Stroop effect can affect gas cylinders, or any labeling system for cylinders or other parts of a filling plant. It’s a psychological demonstration of interference in reaction time and finds that naming colors that are written in that same colored ink is easier than naming colors written in a different colored ink.

How Is the Stroop Effect Dangerous?

Gas cylindesr red The VA National Center for Patient Safety published the Oxygen (Compressed Gas) Cylinder Hazard Summary that details, if products aren’t completely clear, there’s a potential for disaster. Areas of vulnerabilities include fire, carbon dioxide and oxygen mix-ups, confusion about how much oxygen a cylinder contains, and a cylinder becoming a hazard and being turned into a missile.

Within a plant or facility, the staff understands what a cylinder contains from looking at its color. However, the summary states that this could be misleading or misunderstood. A cylinder’s label states what’s in the cylinder and should be read instead of the staff identifying it by color. This could cause disastrous mix-ups.

The summary explains that “color-coding may be misleading and is not ideal for use in identifying medical gases. NCPS will work with CGA and FDA to determine optimal labeling without use of color for coding on cylinders.”

How to Improve Clear Labeling Systems

One way to improve labeling systems is for the cylinder label to be large. That way, it can be easily read and understood and subsequently delivered to the appropriate place. The label should be the only way the cylinder is identified, not by color or storage location. If the label is rubbed off, the cylinder should not be used.

Understanding the appropriate ways to label and identify cylinders can reduce the number of disasters that can occur from cylinder mix-ups.

CPV Manufacturing administers products that are high quality and top notch and are used throughout the oil and gas industry. Their innovative designs are fundamental in the functions of gas-filling stations and plants, which can improve operations. Click here to contact CPV.