It has been a busy September for the natural gas vehicle (NGV) sector, led by the still-evolving timeline on a decision by Vancouver, BC-based Westport Innovations on when to end production of its venerable 15-liter NGV truck engine that has been a centerpiece of its more than a decade-long involvement in natural gas transportation. The company already is working on an up-to-date model with newer and better technology.

Elsewhere, General Electric’s “compressed natural gas (CNG) in A Box” moved to the Far East, and NGV fuel systems maker AFV Natural Gas Fuel Systems moved to a larger facility in Twinsburg, OH. Also in Ohio’s Utica Shale region, a new CNG fueling station was put in place in Millersburg, OH, in less than a week’s time.

Westport is not the same company it was a decade ago, or even five years ago when it began its move to NGVs with the 15L engines in Kenworth T800 and Peterbilt 367 trucks that run on liquefied natural gas (LNG). Critics have pointed out that the newer model ISX 12 G (12 liter) trucks launched earlier this year can run on either CNG or LNG, and it may have hurt sales of the 15L engine.

Nevertheless, Westport’s sales/marketing vice president, Gordon Exel, told NGI the company has been surprised by the rekindled market demand for the 15L trucks, which has its manufacturing unit operating at maximum capacity for that engine. As a result, Westport is still trying to determine the appropriate time to end production so as not to leave any of its long-term customers in a bind.

Exel said that by the end of this year the company’s senior leadership should have a clearer idea about how and when to end 15L production, and he guesses that will be some time in 2015.

“Products go through life cycles — diesel and natural gas — so any of our 2001 products that we rolled out in North America are all gone; they don’t meet current emissions requirements here, although they are sold elsewhere in the world,” Exel said. “The 15L engine is starting to age.”

After three different engines in the NGV sector for heavy-duty trucks introduced with its partner Cummins as Cummins Westport products (7L in 2007; 15L in 2008; and 12L this year) Westport is partnering with Paccar to introduce a new natural gas technology, “high-pressure direct injection,” or HPDI, that will have the same power ratings as the 15L without having to be that large of an engine, Exel said. Those next generation engines will be out in 2015, he said.

Under the partnership, Paccar provides the engines using Westport’s design and specifications, ships them to Westport for the HPDI components to be added, and then the engines come back to Paccar for final installation in the trucks its makes for Kenworth, Peterbilt and others.

Thus, the current 15L’s days are obviously numbered, and Westport Innovations has signaled that to its Peterbilt and Kenworth dealers. “Most of the customers are OK with the exit, but some are still in need of the 15L until other products come to market,” Exel said. “So, we’re assessing demand and we are a little surprised at the level of demand we have had over the past two months.”

Earlier this year Westport diversified, acquiring BAF Technologies from Clean Energy Fuels Corp., which provides conversions for pickup, shuttle vans, heavier trucks and rail, marine transport and even mining.

But even though the handwriting is on the wall, officials at Westport have not been able to pinpoint the date for the engine’s discontinuance. “We’re talking to our partners and customers about the end of life of the 15L, but we just haven’t locked onto a date,” Exel said.

Separately, GE Oil & Gas said in late September it has shipped 260 of its “CNG in a Box” plug/play CNG fueling devices to China, making the announcement in Shenyang where GE opened a high-speed reciprocating compressor manufacturing facility.

With China’s continuing urbanization, the world’s most populous nation is seeing increased demand for fuel for vehicles and industrial operations. Natural gas as a transportation fuel is seen as a key part of China’s shift to using more natural gas rather than coal.

GE said it is supplying Chongqing Endurance Industry Stock Co. Ltd in China with standard-sized CNG in A Box units, and each are capable of supporting multiple, smaller stations, officials said.

“China’s vast reserves of natural gas, shallow coal-bed methane and recoverable shale gas allow it to gradually transition from traditional fuel sources to natural gas options, enabling the country to lessen its dependence on foreign fuel supplies,” said Lin Chaoyan, chairman of Endurance Industries.

Meanwhile, the much more advanced U.S. shale gas development spurred Buffalo, NY-based Cobey Energy to supply the equipment for a new CNG fueling station hosted by Mount Eaton Pallet for Buckeye CNG in the midst of the Utica Shale gas rush in Ohio. The equipment arrived at the site on a Monday, and by Friday that same week the Buckeye station was operating.

Cobey and Buckeye’s contractors delivered a finished product, fully commissioned, in less than five days.

Also in Ohio, AFV Natural Gas, a provider of tube and hose assemblies for NGV fuel systems, said it is moving to a larger facility to keep up with the growth in its business. AFV is quadrupling its manufacturing floor space in the new facility, expanding its product engineering capacity and adding personnel to streamline its supply chain, inventory and kitting operations.