The operator of the TA® and Petro Stopping Centers® travel center brands has announced the launching of LNG refueling service at its Petro station located on I-10, Exit 57, in Ontario, CA. Besides this site, TravelCenters has completed retrofitting four of its TA facilities to bring them in line with industry standards and regulations for completing truck service repairs on both CNG and LNG trucks. These are located in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg) and in Texas (Baytown, Dallas South and San Antonio).
“All of our LNG lanes, at Ontario and future locations, will be ‘super lanes’ equipped with dispensers that allow pumping of LNG, diesel and DEF. This ensures that those lanes can be fully utilized while the demand for LNG ramps up over the coming months and years. Additionally, by locating the LNG lanes with the existing fuel lanes, we haven’t interrupted truck traffic flow, or reduced available truck parking spaces at these sites,” said Tom O’Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters.
This announcement follows a contract signed in April 2013 where TravelCenters and Shell agreed to build and operate a network of LNG stations including at least two fueling lanes for large over-the-road trucks, and related storage capacity, at up to 100 TA and Petro Stopping Center locations nationwide over the coming years, based on customer demand. TravelCenters plans to have ten more fueling sites open by the end of 2014.
Moreover, Chart Industries announced it was selected by Shell to design, manufacture and commission these facilities, which will be fully automatic, have a low working pressure and be sized to fill 100 to 150 trucks per day with two LNG dispensers. “Our strategic partnership with Shell to expand the nationwide LNG fueling network is evidence of the demand for alternative fuels from commercial customers,” said Bill Haukoos, President of Chart Distribution & Storage Americas.
Source: TravelCenters of America LLC/Chart Industries, Inc.