“We see opportunities for a concept like this one in other areas of the world as well,” said Jose-Alberto Lima, Shell's vice president for LNG and gas sales in Americas. He said Shell, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, doesn't expect a rebound in gas prices anytime soon.

In addition to being cheaper, natural gas burned in trucks emits as much as 25 percent less carbon dioxide, as well as almost eliminating particulate matter and sulfur dioxide produced by diesel-powered vehicles, according to the Calgary- based Van Horne Institute. Using natural gas, a fuel where North America is self-sufficient, would also cut demand for imported crude oil.

Shell eventually plans to deploy LNG technology to power trains, ships and mining industry engines. Gas overtook crude oil to account for more than 50 percent of the company's production for the first time this year. It expects to expand the use of LNG as a transport fuel beyond North America to Europe, China, Latin America and Australia.

Eoin Treacy's view Basic economics dictate that when the price of a commodity drops versus alternatives demand for it increases as consumers find innovative ways to avail of the more favourable pricing environment and particularly when it has environmental credentials supporting it. Therefore we have anticipated for quite some time that the growth of natural gas as a transportation fuel was inevitable. The main question is how long this will take to evolve into a widespread phenomenon.

While I have previously highlighted Fiat Industrial as a manufacturer of LNG powered haulage vehicles there are now a number of others.

Here is a link to a story focusing on the launch of Fiat Industrial's Iveco Stralis LNG vehicle in the UK.

This YouTube video is of a CAT mining vehicle running on LNG is also interesting.

This page from Paccar highlights the release of its LNG powered haulage vehicles.

This article highlights the partnership between Navistar and Boon Pickens' Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

This pdf extols the benefits of CNG Isuzu vehicles

It would be accurate to describe all of the above shares as industrially oriented and they have been among some of the hardest hit during this correction. While competition in this field is likely to become increasingly fierce, the fact that so many companies are investing in this technology either through the provision of refuelling infrastructure, vehicle production and increased R&D spending suggest that the natural gas powered vehicle will become increasingly prevalent. Our belief that the USA can become energy independent within a decade is in no small part predicated on the economy using more natural gas.