Oil company Shell is replacing 15 of its diesel powered trucks with Liquefied Natural Gas powered vehicles for routes out of Lafayette, La and Houston, Tx. This is a signal that even the biggest oil producing companies are looking to reduce their CO2 emissions by using less polluting trucks.

The 15 heavy duty trucks are for supporting oil and gas logistics operations between oil producing areas of the US and one of its major seaports. Shell ordered the new vehicles from Ryder System, a leader in commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation and supply chain solutions.

Shell has used Ryder for over 10 years and the logistics company manages road transportation for Shell’s freight hauling activities across its US exploration and production activities including a fleet that directly supports its Gulf of Mexico operations.

The 15 trucks will be serviced out of the Lafayette facility near the Gulf Coast, which is being engineered to meet the compliance requirements for natural gas. Ryder has also signed a five year deal with Shell which will provide the LNG fuel for the project.

“We are excited to work with Ryder to transfer diesel vehicles to LNG. LNG can be a good choice for truck owners and more are making the switch to LNG,” said Dan Flynn, Shell Vice President Logistics.

“It is great to see Ryder’s drive for Shell LNG, a clean burning fuel that meets emissions regulations without the need for after treatment systems used in diesel engines. Ryder has been extremely responsive to our service needs, which makes us confident about our continued relationship. Ryder’s help was critical to provide the logistics expertise, knowledge, and know-how needed to ensure that the fleet was operating at its best.”

“It has truly been a pleasure to have Shell as a loyal Ryder customer for more than 10 years,” said John Diez, President of Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions. “With Ryder as its dedicated transportation partner, Shell can continue to count on having a reliable fleet ready to maintain the excellent reputation they’ve worked very hard to earn. We are honored that Shell trusts Ryder to represent their brand on the road and with their customers, and that we can help them improve the sustainability and efficiency of their fleet.”