Heckman Corp. has placed what is believed to be the single largest order for liquefied natural gas trucks by a U.S. customer. Heckmann Water Resources will transition its water-transportation fleet from traditional diesel vehicles to natural gas.


The company will use the trucks to service its customers' natural gas wells and provide water handling services in conjunction with its system of pipelines and disposal wells. The HWR subsidiary operates a recently completed 50-mile water disposal pipeline in the Haynesville Shale (Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas), which can treat and dispose up to 100,000 barrels of water per day.

HWR has issued a purchase order for 200 Peterbilt Model 367 liquefied natural gas trucks incorporating Westport Heavy Duty Systems technologies. Although the purchase price of NGVs is higher than diesel trucks, the company says the significantly reduced life cycle operating cost of NGVs typically delivers payback in less than two years in field applications. Additionally, because of cleaner combustion, the average operating life of NGVs is considerably longer.

Encana, one of the largest natural gas companies in North America, will make LNG fueling services available for the fleet. According to the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, Encana will initially dispense LNG to Heckmann's truck fleet from mobile fueling stations, which consist of an insulated LNG tank and dispensing equipment built on a trailer that can be parked at key operating locations in the Haynesville play. Encana also plans to build its first permanent and public LNG fueling station in the Shreveport, La., area later this year.

"This is the first LNG truck order by a natural gas industry service provider," said David Demers, CEO of Westport Innovations. "The fuel is inexpensive relative to diesel, and its availability for this application makes an economic win-win for both HWR and Encana as well as the significant environmental benefits including up to 30 percent lower green house gas emissions."

The Westport HD System consists of a 15-liter engine, incorporating proprietary Westport fuel injectors, LNG fuel tanks with integrated cryogenic fuel pumps, and associated electronic components to facilitate operation. The Westport HD engine is certified and compliant to 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emission standards in North America.