Company Plans To Open Several Natural Gas Stations In NE Oklahoma

City leaders in Grove are expected to give the go-ahead for a new CNG station there, but plans go beyond that in several towns in northeastern Oklahoma.

Monday, July 15th 2013, 4:52 pm

By: Craig Day

Company Plans To Open Several Natural Gas Stations In NE Oklahoma

A Tulsa company has plans to expand its network of compressed natural gas stations.

Monday night, city leaders in Grove are expected to give the go-ahead for a new CNG station there, but plans go beyond that in several towns in northeastern Oklahoma.

Statistics from the Alternative Fuels Data Center show Oklahoma is third in the nation for the number of Compressed Natural Gas stations, with 95.

Tom Sewell with Blue Energy Fuels and Tulsa Gas Technologies predicts, in a year, the state will hit 100.

"Compressed natural gas is expanding fast. Right now, we're moving through Oklahoma," Sewell said.

Soon, an under served part of the state, from a CNG perspective, will get more natural gas stations, starting in Grove.

Blue Energy Fuels plans to begin construction of a public fill station in 30 days. It will be a great option for fleet vehicles and regular drivers now using natural gas.

"Just the whole state in general--compressed natural gas is a boom," Sewell said.

Construction of the CNG station in Grove will be finished and it will open to the public in January or February. Then, future plans include CNG stations in Big Cabin, Vinita and Pryor in 2014.

Sewell said Oklahoma is the center of the world for Natural Gas Production and promotion.

"The gas comes from Oklahoma, the equipment comes from Oklahoma, the legislation and the guidelines come from Oklahoma--everyone is mirroring our state on what they're doing in their state," he said.

At $1.39 a gallon, it's much cheaper than gas, and Sewell said, since it's a domestic energy source, the fuel is insulated from price spikes drivers see in the cost of a gallon of regular gas.

He predicts even more aggressive growth in the number of public CNG stations, as more natural gas vehicle models are offered, and as more people make the switch.

"You'll see us in Muskogee, you'll see us spreading down I-40. All those areas are wide open for us," Sewell said.

Plans also include adding additional CNG stations to southeastern Oklahoma within the next few years.

Craig Day

Craig Day anchors the 5, 6 & 10 o’clock newscasts at News On 6. He’s an Emmy and national Edward R. Murrow award winner, whose work has also been recognized with awards by several other journalism groups, including the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalism, Oklahoma Associated Press, and broadcasting associations in Louisiana and Texas, including reporter and story of the year when he worked in Shreveport, Louisiana.