Calgary, AB — Bison Transport has signed a five-year fuels supply agreement with Shell Canada Products to run 15 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tractors in Alberta, Shell announced today.

The agreement is the first major step for Shell on its LNG refueling infrastructure, and the first of its kind in Canada, the company said.

Bison will be filling-up on LNG from Shell Flying J LNG fuelling facilities in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. Those facilities are expected to open in early 2013. Under specific conditions, the use of LNG in heavy duty applications has the potential to deliver 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are very pleased to be working with Shell on this leading edge initiative that stands to transform the commercial freight and fuel industries in North America,” says Trevor Fridfinnson, Bison’s VP Western Operations. “Proving that this alternative fuel source can be economically and practically viable is our objective,” he said.

Shell has been busy building an LNG refueling infrastructure as the adoption of natural gas by commercial fleets becomes the norm. The company is constructing a natural gas liquefaction plant at its Jumping Pound facility, west of Calgary, to supply the growing market.

Bison’s LNG tractors will be Peterbilt’s, equipped with Westport HD natural gas engines. The trucks are slated to be delivered this month, and expected to be operational by January 2013.