Natural Gas Available for Mines in Northwestern Ontario

One of Certarus’ newest natural gas compression facilities is operating in Northwestern Ontario. The compressed natural gas (CNG) company’s hub in Red Rock, east of Thunder Bay, has been supplying natural gas to utilities and asphalt plants since June 2020 and its team is working to convert mining and other long term industrial clients over to CNG.

Certarus is the North American market leader in bulk compressed natural gas (CNG) delivery, with over 460 CNG trailers in its fleet. It supports industrial operations such as mines, pulp mills, asphalt plants and grain dryers decrease their heating, drying, processing and power generation costs while also reducing their environmental footprint.

Headquartered in Calgary, Certarus builds three to four new compression facilities every year. According to Dan Bertram, Certarus’ VP of Corporate Development, “Certarus leverages its 15 fully redundant fixed compression hubs and 15 mobile compressors to supply natural gas to remote communities and industrial clients across Canada and the US. Specifically, for Northern Ontario, Certarus has facilities in Red Rock and Timmins, allowing us to serve the northwest and northeast parts of the province as well as Northwestern Québec.” The company is currently commissioning a third Ontario compression hub in Mount Forest.

Pictured: Certarus natural gas compression facility in Red Rock ON

Certarus pulls natural gas from the pipeline and compressed into tube trailers, thus allowing a significant volume to be transported to end users. Once at a client site, the trailers are connected to a pressure reduction system which depressurizes and warms the gas to the client’s specifications. Instead of off-loading into storage tanks, the trailers are left onsite until the gas is consumed. Certarus’ remote monitoring and dispatch system ensures the timely switching of trailers. Certarus sources gas closer to clients, thus reducing transportation risks associated with sourcing fuel by truck in Southern Ontario or by rail in Western Canada.

Bertram added that “With natural gas being available without a gas line, operators are displacing fuels such as diesel, fuel oil and propane with a cleaner, more cost-effective solution.” Certarus also provides incremental natural gas to grid-connected users when the utility can’t meet the demand or performs line maintenance.

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