Kenworth celebrated the production and customer delivery of its first full-production truck powered by the new 400-hp Cummins Westport ISX12 G natural gas engine during a special roll-out ceremony Tuesday before employees at the Kenworth assembly plant in Renton, Washington. Kenworth’s initial 400-hp ISX12 G engine went into a Kenworth T800 Extended Day Cab.

The truck’s keys and a commemorative plaque were presented by Preston Feight, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing to Jerry Winchester, CEO of Chesapeake Oilfield Services (COS) and Chris Broussard, president of COS affiliate and Oklahoma-based Oilfield Trucking Solutions (OTS).

“Kenworth has a commitment to providing the best natural gas trucks to our customers. With the new 400-hp rating, the Cummins Westport ISX12 G engine helps to expand Kenworth’s natural gas truck offering to more fleets,” Feight said.

The privilege of driving the T800 with the 400-hp ISX12 G off the assembly line went to Winchester with Broussard in the passenger seat. “This first Kenworth truck equipped with the 400-hp ISX12 G engine represents an important initial step in a cutting-edge change in how the oil and natural gas production industry fuels its field servicing trucks. By operating this truck at Oilfield Trucking Solutions, we’re committed to being the industry’s best oilfield service provider,” Winchester said.

Oilfield Trucking Solutions trucks traveled several million miles last year, transporting thousands of barrels of water and crude daily to help producers meet drilling, completion and production needs. The T800 is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) and will haul crude oil throughout various Oklahoma oil plays.

The Cummins Westport ISX12 G engine requires a single fuel source and can run on either CNG or LNG (liquefied natural gas), both of which are cost-effective, low-carbon and low-emissions fuels. Kenworth offers the ISX12 G for the T800 short hood with a 116.5-inch BBC and T660. Oilfield Trucking Solutions’ natural gas-powered Kenworth T800 short hood is equipped with two side-mounted Type 4 CNG cylinder tanks for a range of 450 miles (725 km) and the Kenworth Extended Day Cab for improved driver comfort.

According to Broussard, the 400-hp ISX12 G provides just the right amount of power for the company’s needs. And with fuel being the second largest expense of any fleet, natural gas offers compelling savings potential. “The recent price difference between natural gas and diesel at an average of $2 per diesel gallon equivalent in Oklahoma provides an estimated annual savings of $50,000 with the CNG-powered Kenworth T800. That means Oilfield Trucking Solutions can start generating a positive return on investment in just a little over a year,” Broussard said.

Andy Douglas, Kenworth national sales manager for specialty markets, said demand among Kenworth customers for the ISX12 G has been exceptional because the engine offers a mid-range option for fleets interested in running natural gas. “The combination of 1,450 lb-ft of torque, simplified emissions and a 40 to 50 percent reduction in fuel price are key motivators for customers to consider natural gas,” Douglas said.

Recently, the average cost of diesel fuel in the United States was just under $4 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The average price of a diesel gallon equivalent of CNG in the United States is nearly $2 less.