Whether a job calls for a pipeline purge, a pressure test or a plant turnaround, your nitrogen supplier can have a direct impact on project scheduling, site logistics, operational safety and overall cost. Onsite nitrogen generation, as provided by Canadian Nitrogen Services, produces gaseous nitrogen directly at the worksite, eliminating many of the transportation and storage requirements associated with traditional bulk nitrogen supply.
Before booking a nitrogen provider, it is important to understand not only what equipment they can supply, but whether they can meet the required purity, flow and pressure for your application, access to your site and support operations safely.
The questions below will help you compare suppliers and prepare for your first call.
What Is Onsite Nitrogen Generation?
Onsite nitrogen generation is the production of nitrogen at the point of use rather than transporting finished nitrogen to the job site. Canadian Nitrogen Services supplies gaseous nitrogen only. The units separate nitrogen from the compressed air and deliver the generated nitrogen directly to the application with no liquid nitrogen to store, handle or vaporize on location.
Why Operators Use Nitrogen
Nitrogen is an inert and non-flammable gas that can be used to displace oxygen, moisture and other unwanted substances from pipelines, vessels and processing equipment, protecting against corrosion and oxidation.
Benefits of Onsite Gaseous Nitrogen Generation
Generating gaseous nitrogen onsite offers several practical advantages over bulk delivery:
- Less downtime: A continuous supply means no pauses while you wait on a tanker or swap cylinders.
- Simpler logistics: No delivery scheduling, tank rentals or reliance on road conditions, which is particularly valuable at remote sites.
- Lower operating costs: Producing nitrogen where it’s used cuts delivery and rental costs.
- Better quality control: Cylinders can pick up contaminants as they near the end of their capacity. Onsite generation avoids that source of impurities.
- Improved safety: There’s no liquid nitrogen to store or handle on location.
- Smaller carbon footprint: Fewer bulk deliveries mean less traffic.
Industries That Use Onsite Nitrogen Generation
Oil and gas is the largest user of onsite nitrogen, from the wellhead through to the refinery. CNS supports:
- Upstream: underbalanced and managed pressure drilling, coiled tubing, well completions and workovers, nitrogen flooding and reservoir pressure maintenance
- Midstream: pipeline purging, drying, inerting, pigging, pressure testing, commissioning and abandonment
- Downstream: plant commissioning, turnarounds, purging, drying and inerting
- LNG: purging, drying and inerting for liquefied natural gas facilities
Onsite nitrogen generation also supports select industrial and manufacturing applications.
Questions to Ask Before Securing Onsite Nitrogen Generation
Not all onsite nitrogen providers can deliver the same results. Before you secure these services, ask these questions to confirm the provider can meet your purity and flow targets, handle your application, reach your site and work safely.
What Purity and Flow Rate Can You Deliver?
Set your purity and flow targets together. With membrane generation, the two are linked: pushing more flow through the system lowers purity. A qualified provider will size equipment to meet both targets at once.
At Canadian Nitrogen Services, membrane units produce gaseous nitrogen at 95%-99% purity.
Do You Have Experience With My Application?
Drying a pipeline, commissioning a plant and abandoning a well all call for different setups and procedures. Ask which purging method the provider recommends for your equipment and why.
Common methods include dilution, displacement, pressure-hold-vacuum and pressure liquid transfer.
A qualified nitrogen provider should understand how the nitrogen will be used, what operating conditions need to be maintained and what preparation is required before mobilization. Always ensure you ask your provider to explain how their equipment and nitrogen supply will be matched to your specific application rather than simply asking whether they “provide nitrogen.”
Can You Reach My Site, and How Quickly?
For example, Canadian Nitrogen Services is based in Crossfield, Alberta, and serves the Northwest Territories, northern British Columbia, Alberta, central and southern Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Our mobile nitrogen generation fleet is equipped to support operations in both established and remote locations.
Mobilization time requirements depend on the location, site access, required nitrogen volume, equipment configuration, road conditions, project scheduling, the number of units your flow rate requires, and your site’s prequalification and orientation requirements. Early confirmation and coordination will help ensure the required crew, inspections, and resources can be provided appropriately.
What Does Your Safety Program Look Like?
Nitrogen is used to create an inert atmosphere, which makes it valuable for reducing combustion and oxidation risks. However, oxygen displacement also creates an asphyxiation hazard in confined or poorly ventilated spaces. Proper procedures, atmospheric monitoring and site controls are therefore essential when working with nitrogen, and your provider’s safety program matters just as much as the equipment.
At Canadian Nitrogen Services, we hold a Certificate of Recognition (COR) from Energy Safety Canada and are registered with ISNetworld, ComplyWorks and Avetta. We always recommend asking about your on-site nitrogen provider’s safety practices and procedures.
Power and Site Access
Before mobilization, site conditions and equipment requirements should be reviewed with the nitrogen provider. Access and set up can affect where units are positioned and how the nitrogen system is connected to the operation. Go over these points with your provider:
- Road access: Can the units reach the site on existing roads? Flag any weight restrictions, seasonal road bans or winter-only access.
- Lay-down space: Confirm there is sufficient level space for the nitrogen equipment, connections and required work area for crew and equipment, plus room to run lines and keep a safe worksite.
- Power and fuel: Confirm the power and fuel requirements for the specific equipment being mobilized. Inquire whether the units are self-contained or need site power, and how fuel is handled on longer jobs.
- Tie-in points: Identify where nitrogen will be introduced into the pipeline, vessel or other equipment and confirm connection requirements, pressure ratings and applicable site procedures.
- Site conditions: Discuss extreme temperatures, elevation, weather and onsite conditions, as humidity and altitude can affect membrane performance.
What Onsite Support Looks Like
Onsite nitrogen generation is not simply a matter of dropping equipment at the location and turning it on. Proper planning, setup, and coordination are imperative to ensure the nitrogen supply meets the demands of the operation. Here’s what Canadian Nitrogen Services’ on-site support includes, from setup to wrap-up.
Setup and Integration
Canadian Nitrogen Services coordinates mobilization and on-site setup of our mobile nitrogen generation equipment to meet the demands of each unique project. Our technicians set up the units in accordance with connection points, operating pressures, flow requirements and onsite conditions that should be established before the operation begins.
Reporting
Before the job begins, confirm what operating records and documentation will be provided and what information the project team needs. Depending on the application, this may include nitrogen purity, pressure, flow and operating information. Accurate records help with quality control and make it easier to meet regulatory requirements.
Prepare for Your Quote
Providing complete project information upfront allows the nitrogen provider to determine the appropriate equipment configuration and develop a more accurate mobilization plan and quote. Have the following information available:
- Application and equipment details, such as pipeline length and diameter or vessel volume
- Required purity, flow rate and pressure
- Expected job duration
- Site location, road access and available lay-down space
- Preferred start date and any prequalification requirements
Also inquire what the quote includes: mobilization, field technicians, monitoring and standby time so you can compare providers on equal terms.
Plan Your Next Nitrogen Job With CNS
Asking the right questions up front will help reduce avoidable delays, clarify equipment requirements and ensure that your on-site nitrogen supply is properly matched to the operational demands.
Since 2005, Canadian Nitrogen Services has been providing mobile on-site nitrogen generation for oil and gas, pipelines, industrial and specialized applications. With our operations supporting operations across Western Canada and in remote locations, Canadian Nitrogen Services provides a leading-edge alternative to traditional bulk supply.
To learn more about how we can support your next project and provide the nitrogen you need, call 1-877-284-0404 or get in touch with us today!
