Certified Gas Case Study in California

States set strict requirements regarding the quality and components of certified gas. For most states, the percentage of inert chemicals (inerts) in certified gas mustn’t exceed 4% when it’s introduced to the utility pipeline. Companies need time-tested systems to minimize the presence of these inerts, which are typically a combination of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Our Keller, California, client faced even more stringent standards. The Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) specification required that the certified gas have a content of 1% or less of carbon dioxide gas, which is far more difficult than the usual 2-4% standard. While the facility’s system removed enough carbon dioxide gas during the CO₂ removal stage to meet this standard, the oxygen removal stage introduced additional carbon dioxide, causing the gas to exceed the 1% limit. Failing to meet the 1% threshold resulted in fines, causing our client to seek a more comprehensive total system that could reduce the final carbon dioxide content of the gas.