Oklahoma City-based SandRidge, other energy companies look to use natural gas in field

Mike Hosford, general manager of unconventional resources for GE Oil and Gas, said he expects the company's collaboration with Green Field to help resolve some of the biggest challenges facing the industry.

“By using Green Field's bi-fuel technology on the gas turbines, we have the potential to switch the power source at drilling sites to abundant, reliable, and cleaner-burning natural gas — a source of energy that can help meet our world's growing energy needs for decades to come,” he said.

Many energy companies have tried to find ways to incorporate natural gas into their operations.

On several occasions, Chesapeake CEO Aubrey McClendon has said companies that fail to use natural gas are like dairy farmers who don't drink milk.

Chesapeake is working to convert its truck fleet to CNG to help build demand for natural gas as a transportation fuel. The company also is trying to convert its diesel and electric drilling rigs to natural gas.

Continental Resources Inc. has used natural gas to power a couple of its rigs in North Dakota, which helped cut fuel costs by about a third, said Rick Muncrief, the company's senior vice president of operations.

He said further infrastructure is needed to make such applications more widespread, but the company, and the industry, is monitoring developments.

“That's just the way our industry is,” Muncrief said. “We're pretty good at developing new approaches.”