REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Reducing Methane and VOC Emissions

Jimmy Oxford – Targa Resources 

Veronica Nasser - REM Technology Inc.

Presentation for the 2012 Natural Gas STAR Annual 

Implementation Workshop
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Why Reduce Methane and VOC Emissions?

VOCs are a precursor to local ozone

Regulated

Methane is a potent green-house gas

21 times that of CO2 

VOCs may contain BTEXs which are carcinogenic

Methane and VOC venting is a loss

Energy 

Economic
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Vented Gases – Destroying and/or Using

• Burning gas in flares

o Needs a pilot flame or automatic ignition

o Produces no useful energy

o Restricted in some jurisdictions

• Recompression (VRU)

o Needs specialized equipment

o Costly for small releases

• Addition to engine fuel (SlipStream® technology)

o No gas compression required 

o Displaces engine fuel

o High methane and VOC destruction ratio

o Can deal with variable releases

o Measures and records vented amounts
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SlipStream® Technology† 

No pressurization or recompression required

Vent gases pass through a valve train and specially designed lowloss demister

Vented gas enters intake air after the engine air filter

Minimal increase in vent system pressure (< 0.2 psig)

Accommodates rapid flow changes

Controller makes adjustments

Controller prevents excessively high flows

High VOC and methane destruction factor

† Patented; other patents pending
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Efficiency of Destruction

An internal combustion 

engine is very efficient 

in combusting fuel

VOC destruction > 99% 

For most systems the 

added fuel is < 10% of 

engine fuel

Advanced systems take 

up to 50% of engine fuel

No catalyst fouling 

Air

Vented 

Methane 

and/or VOCs

Natural gas 

fuel

Natural Gas 

Reciprocating 

Engine

Load

Catalyst

Filter

Demister

SlipStream 

Control 

System
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Compressor Packing Gases

Problem: 

All reciprocating compressor rod packing glands leak

Solution:

 Collect and use all of the packing vent gas – as supplemental fuel

 Monitor and record flow rate with a thermo mass flow meter

 Take corrective action when packing vent flow rate alarms at high flow

• Most leak at a low rate, but a few leak at a high rate
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

SlipStream n ® SA – Installation o

Compressor Pressure Packing Vent

The following slides illustrate how vented hydrocarbons/VOC’s 

are captured in a compressor pressure packing vent application.
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How is pressure packing vented emissions captured ?

Common 

header in most 

cases vents to 

atmosphere
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Engine air 

intake duct

Compressor Packing Gases

SlipStream®

Control System

Pipe from compressor 

cylinder packing vents

Gas composition:

• 43% methane

• 16% ethane

• 41% VOC
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

How are pressure packing vented emissions captured ?

Common header to 

Outside of

building. 

SlipStream 

Manifold 

Is tied in. 
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SlipStream SA from Packing Vents 

to 

Air Intake Line to Air Intake

After air 

Filter, 

before

Turbo 

Flow rate 

entering airintake line 
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SlipStream Panel with additional REMonitor Features

Valve train

In background
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SlipStream® SA Environmental Benefits

and Fuel Cost Savings 

Based on 

$3.85/mcf

and flow rate 

at time of 

snap shop

CO2(e)

Flow rate at time of 

snap shot

Flow rate 

fluctuates 

with RPM

Actual totals

Actual 

Fuel gas savings to 

Date of snap shot 
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Alarm Settings and Benefits 

Flow rate is continuously measured

A high flow rate alarm is set at 6 SCFM, (customer specified), to 

notify operators when pressure packing leak rate increases. 

This allows for scheduled maintenance to be performed, 

possibly at time when other maintenance tasks are due. 

Unscheduled down time, and lost production is avoided. 

Vented hydrocarbons are eliminated and compliance is meet at 

all times.

The vented hydrocarbons are used as supplemental fuel. The 

entire time the pressure packing is leaking, SlipStream is 

capturing and burning in the engine as fuel.
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

SlipStream ®

Control System

Gas Boil-off from Liquids Tanks

Liquids tanks Boil-off gas 

collection pipe

Boil-off gas has high 

VOC content

Turbocharger

Gas from 

SlipStream 

control system 

added to engine 

intake air – max 

is < 10% of total 

engine fuel

Engine 

air 

intake 

and filter
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

SlipStream® SA on CAT 3516LE 

3” line to 

SlipStream 

SlipStream 

Panel
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Regulations

Accepted as a VOC destruction method by many 

states air quality regulators

Meets Class I Div 2 Hazardous area regulations

Can be used as an alternative method to packing 

change out at regular intervals 

Accepted for green-house gas credits (Canada)
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

Re-Cap 

SlipStream®: 

Efficiently destroys vented methane and VOCs

Deals with various vent sources

Provides continuous and accurate measurement of 

vented flow

No need for recompression

Reduces engine fuel needs

Is field proven for many different sources

Is safe and reliable
REM TECHNOLOGY INC. 

QUESTIONS ?

Thank You