Nornickel built the station to refuel heavy trucks and cranes. The station can serve up to 300 vehicles daily.
The filling station will operate in test mode for a year. It will be serving 22 methane-powered vehicles, which Nornickel purchased and delivered to the city. In the future, the filling station is expected to supply methane to public transportation vehicles.
The long testing period is due to challenges in storing compressed gas. Compared to liquid fuels, natural gas calls for more stringent safety precautions, more physical space, and reliable infrastructure: specialized compressors and tanks that can withstand high pressure.
In harsh Arctic climate the operation of natural gas compressor stations is extremely difficult. When humidity is high, the pipe fittings on gas tanks freeze, which is why methane has to be dried at the filling station in Norilsk.
The filling station was built by Norilsktransgaz, a subsidiary of Nornickel, which delivers natural gas and gas condensate to the company’s polar branches. Nornickel plans to expand its fleet of natural gas-powered vehicles.
The new station will also serve road tankers, which will deliver methane to remote areas.
The transition to natural gas is a more sustainable solution and helps to save on fuel. Natural gas has a lower carbon content than gasoline or diesel fuel. It means that vehicles running on natural gas emit less CO2, the main greenhouse gas contributing to rising air temperature across the globe.
The filling station is part of Russia’s Clean Air push — a governmental program aimed at dramatically improving air quality in industrial cities. In the future, the company plans to establish a network of natural gas filling stations in the region. The new methane filling station is a pivotal event marking the beginning of a fuel revolution in Norilsk.
The filling station is part of the federal project “Clean Air” — a governmental program aimed at dramatically improving air quality in Russia’s industrial cities. In the future, the company plans to establish a network of natural gas filling stations in the region. In this light, the opening of the methane filling station on Valkovskoye Highway is a historic event marking the beginning of a fuel revolution in Norilsk.
The long testing period is due to challenges in storing compressed gas. Compared to liquid fuels, natural gas calls for more stringent safety precautions, more physical space, and reliable infrastructure: specialized compressors and tanks that can withstand high pressure.
In harsh Arctic climate the operation of natural gas compressor stations is extremely difficult. When humidity is high, the pipe fittings on gas tanks freeze, which is why methane has to be dried at the filling station in Norilsk.
The filling station was built by Norilsktransgaz, a subsidiary of Nornickel, which delivers natural gas and gas condensate to the company’s polar branches. Nornickel plans to expand its fleet of natural gas-powered vehicles.
The new station will also serve road tankers, which will deliver methane to remote areas.
The transition to natural gas is a more sustainable solution and helps to save on fuel. Natural gas has a lower carbon content than gasoline or diesel fuel. It means that vehicles running on natural gas emit less CO2, the main greenhouse gas contributing to rising air temperature across the globe.
The filling station is part of Russia’s Clean Air push — a governmental program aimed at dramatically improving air quality in industrial cities. In the future, the company plans to establish a network of natural gas filling stations in the region. The new methane filling station is a pivotal event marking the beginning of a fuel revolution in Norilsk.
The filling station is part of the federal project “Clean Air” — a governmental program aimed at dramatically improving air quality in Russia’s industrial cities. In the future, the company plans to establish a network of natural gas filling stations in the region. In this light, the opening of the methane filling station on Valkovskoye Highway is a historic event marking the beginning of a fuel revolution in Norilsk.
October, 2023
