Blu., a Salt Lake City-based company that focuses on liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling infrastructure for heavy-duty trucking and high-horsepower applications, worked with Intermountain Gas Co. to develop a new gas recapture system at Blu.'s LNG refueling station in Nampa, Idaho.
The recently commissioned system captures boil-off gas from the LNG storage tank and returns it to Intermountain's natural gas pipeline, eliminating the venting of excess LNG into the atmosphere. Boil-off LNG goes into a pressure regulator and is then warmed and returned to gas form. A chemical odorant is added, and the gas is then pressurized to match the pressure of the pipeline and injected into the pipeline. Prior to passing into the pipeline, the gas is metered, and the vented gas is sold to Intermountain at a commoditized rate.
‘By returning excess gas to the natural gas distribution system, we are increasing efficiency, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,’ says Blu. CEO Merritt Norton.
Blu. is also planning to install gas recapture systems at its other Idaho facilities in Jerome and Idaho Falls and – eventually – at all of its LNG refueling stations that have access to a natural gas pipeline.
