Apache Corp. helps the Lafayette, La., community by adding a CNG fuel station to fuel city vehicles.

Apache Corp. celebrated the opening of its first public-access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in the state of Louisiana at its Lafayette station.

“The state of Louisiana is a leader in supporting increased use of natural gas,” said Rod Eichler, Apache’s president and chief operating officer. “The addition of this CNG fueling station in Lafayette is a step toward building the infrastructure needed to fuel America’s cars and trucks with natural gas.”

The opening ceremony event showcased a variety of natural gas powered vehicles, including some of the city’s buses. Lafayette, La., wants to convert all its fleet of buses and city vehicles to natural gas power.

Apache chose to add CNG to its Lafayette, La., gas station because of its closeness to large public and private natural gas fleet vehicles. The company has already converted 274 vehicles to run on CNG and plans to convert 350 of its fleet by year’s end. By 2015, the company expects to have 80% of its 1,000-plus fleet in the U.S. converted.