In today’s Drilling Down blog post, we’ll discuss CNG and its primary benefits. So, what is CNG? CNG stands for compressed natural gas, which acts as a substitute for fuels like diesel, gasoline and propane. CNG is used in natural gas vehicles, (NGVs) which are becoming more popular and more affordable by the day.We love CNG because it a more clean, green alternative to other fuels. According to CNG Now!, a website dedicated to spreading the word about CNG benefits, the use of CNG in a natural gas vehicle can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent and carbon monoxide emissions by up to 75 percent, compared to the burning of other fossil fuels.In fact, the California Energy Commission recently organized a study that concluded CNG vehicles produce up to 29 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than comparable gasoline vehicles and up to 22 percent less than comparable diesel vehicles.CNG Now! writes that the use of CNG can reduce fuel costs by about 50 percent while delivering the same power and performance. Wouldn’t you rather pay about $1.79 per gallon like Mike does than exorbitant gasoline prices?Whereas gasoline prices seem to rapidly rise and then very slightly fall, we have security in knowing that natural gas production storage levels will allow for reasonable prices at the CNG pump for years into the future. We also know that natural gas prices, when compared to the prices of other fuels, have risen much less over a five-year span.We also have security in knowing that CNG won’t run out any time soon. CNG Now! says that “in the past five years, shale reservoirs have revealed natural gas deposits that doubled previous estimated U.S. gas reserves – giving us close to a 100-year supply.” This is important considering that many experts believe global oil production has reached its peak.Perhaps most important to consider about CNG is that almost all of the natural gas we use comes from North America, whereas almost 60 percent of the oil we use is imported. CNG Now! reports that we export approximately $1.7 billion a day for foreign oil, when we are sitting right on top of our own vast amounts of clean, affordable and abundant fuel.More and more consumer and company vehicles are moving toward the CNG revolution. In fact, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation is almost finished with the construction of its CNG filling station for the use of its utility and company vehicles.Thinking about purchasing a CNG- powered vehicle? Among other great resources, CNG Now! offers a Guide to CNG Vehicles for readers to reference. If you’re not ready for that big step, but would like to learn more about CNG, tune in to tomorrow’s #AskCabot recap.
Bill serves as an External Affairs Coordinator for Coterra Energy. He is focused on building community knowledge and support for the organization and industry at large.
Before his time with Coterra Energy, Bill was the original Field Director for Energy in Depth’s Northeast Marcellus campaign. Within this two-year position, Bill worked to engage, educate, and mobilize supporters of Marcellus Shale development across New York and Pennsylvania. Bill received his B.S. in Management, a B.A. in History, and an MBA from Misericordia University.