Certarus Opens CNG Supply Hub Near Bakersfield
The hub, Certarus' first permanent California supply point, is set to begin gas flow in the first quarter of 2027.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Certarus, a wholly owned subsidiary of Superior Plus Corp., announced a compressed natural gas supply hub near Bakersfield, California, its first permanent supply point in the state. The company also signed a memorandum of understanding with Gazelle Transportation to deploy Mobile CNG Fleet Fueling at Gazelle's facility, with the two working toward a definitive agreement.
Why it matters
California on-highway diesel averaged more than $7.00 per gallon in the third quarter, 25% above the national average, pressuring fleet and industrial operators. Natural gas can power trucks, equipment and process heat at sites where pipeline service is unavailable or slow to arrive.
Gazelle's fleet avoided nearly 27,000 metric tons of carbon emissions in 2025 after converting 36 trucks to CNG, according to the company's figures. California diesel averaged more than $8.00 per gallon in October, but the report does not say how the hub's pricing will compare with diesel.
The players
Certarus
Certarus is a compressed natural gas supplier and a wholly owned subsidiary of Superior Plus Corp., which is based in Toronto, Ontario.
Superior Plus Corp.
Superior Plus Corp. is a Toronto-based energy and specialty chemicals company with roughly 4,400 employees in Canada and the United States, and it is the parent of Certarus.
Gazelle Transportation
Gazelle Transportation is a trucking company that has converted 36 of its trucks from diesel to compressed natural gas and is negotiating a fueling deal with Certarus.
The details
The Mobile CNG Fleet Fueling service is a fully managed, behind-the-fence offering that lets fleets fuel at their own facilities without pipeline connection, permanent station construction or upfront capital. The hub sits on the Highway 99 and Interstate 5 freight corridors between Los Angeles and the Bay Area and is expected to serve industrial, agricultural, utility and energy customers across the state.
Timeline
October 2026: California on-highway diesel averaged more than $8.00 per gallon.
Third quarter 2026: California on-highway diesel averaged more than $7.00 per gallon.
2025: Gazelle's CNG fleet avoided nearly 27,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
Q1 2027: The hub is expected to begin gas flow.
Market Landscape
The hub's placement along the Highway 99 and Interstate 5 freight corridors positions Certarus to serve the Central Valley's farms, processors and oil fields in competition with pipeline-based gas suppliers. Its fleet-fueling model offers an alternative to permanent station construction for operators in a state where diesel has run well above the national average.
Fleet operators in Bakersfield and across the Central Valley may gain a fueling option that avoids the cost of permanent station construction, though pricing has not been disclosed. Operators who rely on diesel face a price gap of more than $7.00 per gallon in California, so the availability of CNG could matter for budget planning once the hub opens.
The takeaway
Diesel price pressure in California is pushing fleets toward alternative fuels, and the timing of new supply hubs will determine how quickly operators can switch. Watch for the definitive Gazelle agreement and the Q1 2027 gas-flow start to see whether the model scales beyond a single customer.
Further reading
For more on the energy markets shaping this project, see Oil and Gas coverage in Bakersfield.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Brockville Recorder & Times.
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