Oil and Gas Canada

Top Solutions
Collicutt Energy Services: Powering Uptime for Critical Infrastructure
Collicutt Energy Services
Collicutt Energy Services: Powering Uptime for Critical Infrastructure
Matthew Swinamer, Technical Sales Engineer
For organizations operating critical infrastructure, reliability is not simply a performance metric. Hospitals, industrial facilities, compression systems, and emergency backup operations depend on equipment that must perform consistently under demanding conditions. In these environments, unplanned downtime can disrupt essential operations, making lifecycle engineering, reliability management, and operational performance planning central priorities long before a project is executed or equipment is installed.

At Collicutt Energy Services , responsibility for equipment performance continues well beyond installation. The Alberta-based company has built its reputation as a long-term solutions partner, centered on lifecycle management of mission-critical power systems. It focuses on customized solutions that keep systems running reliably without interruptions through continuous operational intervention.

Collicutt specializes in the supply, servicing, and maintenance of large industrial reciprocating engines ranging from roughly 100 to 4,000 horsepower. The company’s equipment supports a wide range of applications, including oilfield frac pumps, firefighting systems, industrial compression infrastructure, and power generation systems. Over the past two decades, it has increasingly focused on standby diesel generators and continuous or prime power natural gas generation, earning recognition as the Top Diesel and Natural Gas System in Canada.

“We stay closely involved with our clients long after installation, working to deliver a unique solution for each project and ensuring systems continue to perform reliably throughout their lifecycle,” says Matthew Swinamer, technical sales engineer. “Clients are not just looking for off-the-shelf equipment, but for a long-term project partner.”
Read more
State of Industry

Diesel and Natural Gas Systems in Canada: Securing Reliable Energy

Diesel and natural gas systems remain foundational to Canada’s energy reliability strategy, particularly across industries and regions where uninterrupted power is essential. While the national energy conversation increasingly emphasizes electrification and cleaner alternatives, practical operating realities continue to make combustion-based systems critical for resilience, flexibility, and continuity. For CEOs and business leaders, this market is less about conventional power equipment and more about operational certainty, cost control, and long-term infrastructure planning.

Canada’s operating environment makes the sector significant. The country’s vast geography, climate variability, and mix of urban and remote operations create conditions where centralized grid dependency alone is often insufficient. Businesses across industrial, commercial, institutional, and remote segments require dependable systems that can perform under stress, support backup needs, and adapt to changing energy expectations.

Enduring Need for Distributed Energy Systems

The most important factor sustaining demand for diesel and natural gas systems in Canada is the need for reliable power under all operating conditions. In sectors where downtime can lead to financial losses, safety risks, or service disruption, dependable distributed energy remains essential. Diesel systems continue to serve as a critical solution because of their fast response, mobility, and ability to perform in harsh environments.

For emergency backup and temporary power applications, they remain highly effective. It makes them relevant for healthcare facilities, construction projects, remote operations, and emergency infrastructure. Natural gas systems are increasingly important for businesses seeking stable, lower-cost energy over longer operating periods. Their ability to support continuous or prime power applications makes them attractive for facilities that require consistent loads and improved operating efficiency.

"Energy Infrastructure has moved from a Facilities Concern to a Strategic Business Priority Focused on Continuity, Risk Mitigation, and Lifecycle Value."

A defining feature of the Canadian market is the role of remote and distributed operations. Resource sites, isolated communities, logistics networks, and infrastructure projects often operate in environments where grid access is limited or impractical. In these cases, diesel and natural gas systems are not backup solutions; they are core operational assets.

Severe weather, seasonal variability, and regional grid constraints have increased the importance of power security. Organizations are placing greater emphasis on systems that can sustain operations during outages or disruptions. It has elevated energy infrastructure from a facilities concern to a strategic business priority. Companies are increasingly evaluating power systems based on business continuity, risk mitigation, and lifecycle value rather than simply initial cost.

Technology Upgrades toward Intelligent Hybrid Energy Solutions

Technology is reshaping diesel and natural gas systems in Canada, transforming them from standalone mechanical assets into connected, high-efficiency energy platforms. The industry is moving toward smarter systems that deliver greater visibility, performance, and flexibility.

Digital monitoring has become a major operational enhancement. Modern systems are equipped with sensors, diagnostics, and remote monitoring capabilities that provide real-time performance insights. It allows operators to identify inefficiencies early, schedule maintenance proactively, and reduce the likelihood of unplanned downtime.

Fuel efficiency is improving through better controls and system optimization. Businesses are integrating diesel or natural gas systems with battery storage, renewable inputs, and intelligent controls to create more flexible energy ecosystems. The approach reduces fuel dependency, improves efficiency, and supports sustainability goals without compromising reliability.

Natural gas systems are gaining additional momentum because they align more closely with long-term emissions strategies while still providing dependable power. For many businesses, they represent a practical balance between operational performance and environmental responsibility. Companies increasingly prefer systems that can scale with changing demand, support phased upgrades, and adapt to future technology shifts.

Energy Planning and the Future of Market Competitiveness

The diesel and natural gas systems market in Canada is evolving into a more strategic and service-oriented sector. Businesses are no longer treating energy systems as isolated infrastructure purchases. Instead, they are incorporating them into broader operational and sustainability planning. While diesel and natural gas remain essential, businesses are under pressure to reduce emissions and improve environmental performance.

Companies are looking beyond equipment acquisition to assess maintenance requirements, fuel logistics, system reliability, and long-term adaptability. The broader perspective is driving more informed investment decisions. Organizations that can maintain operations during disruptions have a clear advantage in sectors where service continuity and production reliability matter. There is an increasing demand for systems that offer both redundancy and operational intelligence.

Workforce and technical support are other important factors. Reliable energy systems require skilled maintenance and fast response capabilities, particularly in remote or harsh environments. Companies are placing greater value on suppliers that can provide strong service networks and technical expertise.

Diesel and natural gas systems will remain central to Canada’s energy landscape, but their role will continue to evolve. For CEOs and business leaders, this market highlights the growing importance of energy infrastructure as a strategic asset. Diesel and natural gas systems are no longer just backup solutions; they are becoming essential components of operational performance, risk management, and long-term competitiveness.

Read more
Leadership Perspective
Renewable and Low-carbon Gases: A Viable Avenue towards a Cleaner Energy Future
FortisBC [TSE: FTS]
Renewable and Low-carbon Gases: A Viable Avenue towards a Cleaner Energy Future
Joe Mazza, Vice-President, energy supply and resource development

FortisBC is a leading energy solutions provider in British Columbia, the westernmost province in Canada. We serve approximately 1.2 million customers with natural gas, electricity, Renewable Natural Gas, propane and innovative energy solutions, through around 56,000 kilometres of energy distribution infrastructure.

British Columbia has historically been among Canada’s most environmentally progressive jurisdictions and FortisBC has been working to meet the expectations of its customers and local government. Offering more sustainable energy solutions has always been a top priority for us and our Clean Growth Pathway lays out clear direction on how FortisBC can contribute towards the provincial government’s CleanBC plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A key part of our Clean Growth Pathway is the expansion of our supply of RNG as well as investing in opportunities to safely integrate other renewable and low-carbon gases in our system, such as hydrogen. Renewable Natural Gas is produced from decomposing organic waste from landfills, agricultural waste, municipal waste and wastewater treatment facilities. The gas from decomposition is captured and cleaned to create RNG.

Increased RNG supply will help displace more conventional natural gas and lower our customers’ greenhouse gas emissions overall. Renewable and low-carbon gases are an important cornerstone of a low-carbon economy and can help decrease emissions across the whole value chain. Their use is essential if we are to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in multiple sectors, including buildings, industry and transportation. When we can address greenhouse gas emissions by using energy from a renewable and low-carbon gas supply, we present an affordable and attainable option for our province to decarbonize and combat climate change.

To date, we are delivering more RNG than ever. Halfway through 2022, FortisBC increased contracted annual RNG supply more than ten-fold, towards an expected annual delivery of over 10.5 petajoules. That’s almost five per cent of the total natural gas in its system. This is roughly enough energy to meet the natural gas needs of approximately 117,000 homes in BC (according to average annual consumption of 90 gigajoules per year).

As we continue to rapidly bring on more supply, the future holds huge decarbonization potential. From studies conducted here in B.C. to those conducted internationally, it’s acknowledged that gas, particularly renewable and low-carbon gas, is key to a lower-carbon energy future and is one of the most expedient ways to affect rapid decarbonization. Gas can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Every gigajoule of RNG replaces the equivalent amount of natural gas and keeps more carbon underground while still providing the benefits of a flexible, energy dense gas system.

"When we can address greenhouse gas emissions by using energy from a renewable and low-carbon gas supply, we present an affordable and attainable option for our province to decarbonize and combat climate change."

And with cost pressures facing British Columbians, we believe families expect utility providers to provide cost-effective ways to decarbonize. Using a drop-in solution like RNG makes a difference to household emissions without undertaking retrofits with high upfront capital costs.

There is big potential in the province for renewable and low-carbon gases. A study commissioned by FortisBC, the Province of British Columbia and the BC Bioenergy Network revealed that by 2050, renewable and low-carbon gases could provide as much as 440 petajoules (PJ) of energy per year — roughly double what currently flows through our current gas system. The report noted that hydrogen has the largest supply potential in the province and can leverage both B.C.’s low-carbon electricity grid and its natural gas reserves to produce hydrogen gas that can significantly reduce the carbon intensity of our gas infrastructure.

In 2022, we took a bold first step in exploring hydrogen as we announced our first hydrogen pilot project with Suncor Energy and Hazer Group Limited which brings new technology to the province to produce clean burning hydrogen from natural gas. This year, we’ll continue to focus on hydrogen as a part of B.C.’s future and look forward to the opening of a dedicated hydrogen research lab at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Our province is rich in diverse energy resources and energy infrastructure, including a resilient, reliable gas system that is complimentary to the electricity system. Delivering energy only through poles and wires, which are subject to extreme weather, leaves us with a suboptimal system, and would ignore and abandon billions of dollars’ worth of piped infrastructure that could be delivering renewable and low-carbon energy. From a system perspective, renewable and low-carbon gas makes use of a high performing, extensive system worth billions of dollars, saving customers money from having to rebuild that same capacity on electric systems.

We have the infrastructure that is bought and paid for and available today to deliver low-carbon energy to homes and businesses. It cannot happen overnight, but the change is happening now and the potential is there.

Read more
Take Me Top