Oct 1, 2015 4 min read

Editor’s Note- This story was modified from the print version to correct mistakes in figures.

George Stark grew up in Monessen when it was a steel town, and the air in the immediate Mon Valley was not so pristine.

The environmental focus of his presentation Thursday was in stark contrast to what he was once accustomed.

“These vehicles are better vehicles, with engines that burn that much cleaner, that much longer,” he said. “This is about energy security, it’s about education and it’s about cleaning the air.”

Stark, director of external affairs at Cabot Oil & Gas Corp., was among six people who testified about the impact natural gas vehicles have on the environment.

He spoke before members of Pennsylvania’s Joint Legislative Conservation Committee at Finleyville Community Center.

The committee, a bipartisan agency of the General Assembly, was represented by Sens. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, and Scott Hutchinson; Reps. Patrick Harkins, Rick Saccone, and Jason Ortitay, R-South Fayette Township; and executive director Tony Guerrieri.

The use of compressed and liquefied natural gas was touted Thursday for reducing emissions and helping the nation achieve its goal of energy security.

An estimated 150,000 vehicles are powered by natural gas in the United States, according to the federal Department of Energy.

Worldwide, the number is about 15.2 million.

“The explosion of natural gas in Marcellus Shale is vital to Southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Saccone, R-Elizabeth, who requested Finleyville for Thursday’s venue. “We will do everything we can to encourage using natural gas for vehicles.”

Vehicles are being built to operate on natural gas, and others are being converted to use it.

“One benefit in Pennsylvania,” Stark said, “is we will always set the floor. We have (natural) gas here and companies here looking to convert. We have consistent prices with low volatility.”

Stark’s company is based in Houston, but he works out of Pittsburgh and focuses on Susquehanna County in central Pennsylvania.

He said Cabot has about 90 natural gas vehicles – dual-fuel Ford and Chevrolet trucks – that save an average of $2 per gallon equivalent of regular fuel.

“We see the cost staying low for a long time,” he said.

Another advantage, Stark said during an accompanying Power Point presentation, is that drilling rigs that operate on natural gas don’t require thousands of gallons of diesel fuel and that truck is diminished with the elimination of fuel transportation.

There is a large financial upside as well, he added.

“We saved $6 million by using natural gas at 10 wells – an average of $600,000 on each. We’re showcasing this technology more and more.”

Companies such as Waste Management and Giant Eagle have transitioned to natural gas vehicles, and school districts are opting to natural gas fleets. Stark said a bus can go 15,000 miles between oil changes.

David Althoff, environmental group manager for the state Department of Environmental Protection, also testified. He said natural gas fueling stations are becoming more commonplace. He said 34 exist statewide, 41 are being built and others are planned. About 100 stations will result, and more will come.

He also spoke of the state’s Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program, which provides grants to purchase natural gas vehicles or to pay for retrofitting.

Testimony also was provided by Sherrie Morrow of Noble Energy Inc.; Lutitia Clipper of Clipper Enterprises LLC; Susan Oliver-Stough of WPX Energy; and Chuck Haff of Veterans Transportation Management LLC.

There probably was not a more energetic speaker on this energy forum than Stark. He even closed his discourse praising CNG and LNG vehicles.

“Natural gas vehicles,” he said, “are 10 times safer than gas vehicles.”