Insight into how the shale gas revolution spurred adoption of natural gas vehicles in the U.S.
The availability and abundance of clean, low-cost, North American shale gas is prompting a comprehensive reevaluation of transportation fuel operations across the nation. In the on-highway marketplace, companies like UPS, Frito Lay, Ryder, Waste Management, and many others are making large-scale investments in natural gas vehicles across their nationwide fleet. Off-highway high horsepower industries are rapidly catching up, with marine vessel operations and locomotives offering two of the highest potential near-term growth opportunities.
High horsepower natural gas users can significantly reduce fuel costs, improve environmental performance, increase the use of domestically produced fuels, and comply with air quality regulations. This report examines the intersections between marine and rail operations to identify liquefied natural gas (LNG) growth opportunities in three geographic regions: the Great Lakes, inland waterways along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries, and the Gulf of Mexico. This study finds that the total potential demand across all three regions could reach 1 billion gallons annually by 2029, which equates to approximately seven times current LNG fuel use for transportation in the United States. This large-scale transition to natural gas would allow users to collectively realize $575 million in annual fuel cost savings.
