LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to growing national interest in the environmental and economic benefits of natural gas vehicles (NGVs), Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), the American Gas Association (AGA) and other collaboration partners have released a series of five videos designed to communicate the advantages of NGVs. The high-definition segments offer a comprehensive look at key aspects of NGV technology including environmental benefits, safety, operational cost benefits, and fueling options. The videos are viewable at www.youtube.com/socalgas.

"With abundant supplies of domestic natural gas projected to meet U.S. energy needs for generations, interest in NGVs continues to grow among consumer, business and government sectors," said Rodger Schwecke, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. "Our goal is to leverage this popular medium to raise awareness about the numerous benefits of safe, reliable natural gas-powered vehicles."

With more than 15 million NGVs already in operation worldwide, the video campaign aims to foster the adoption of NGVs in the U.S. and represents a unique collaboration among more than a dozen industry organizations.

"These informative, high-quality videos will help our member companies educate their customers and the public about the advantages of natural gas vehicles. AGA welcomes the opportunity to contribute to a fact-based dialogue about how we can use this abundant resource to work towards a clean and secure energy future," said Dr. Kathryn Clay, executive director of the Drive Natural Gas Initiative, a membership-based, collaborative effort of natural gas utilities and producers.

Overflowing with eye-catching imagery and three-dimensional info-graphics, the fast-paced videos are punctuated by case studies and interviews with NGV experts. Together, the segments underscore the advantages of natural gas as a clean, abundant and affordable American fuel. They also emphasize, explain and provide details on a multitude of notable facts about NGVs.

Natural gas producers, utility companies, NGV manufacturers, end-use customers and component manufacturers played an important role in developing video content.  They included: New Jersey Natural Gas, Questar, Agility Fuel Systems, American Honda, Chesapeake, Encana, Landi-Renzo and Structural Composites Industries. In addition, Ryder System, Inc. and Waste Management, Inc., two multinational businesses with long-term experience in successfully operating large fleets, added valuable insights about the operational cost benefits of NGV fleet operations.

"New Jersey Natural Gas is pleased to support SoCalGas and AGA in providing consumers with the information they need to learn more about the advantages of natural gas vehicles," said Thomas Massaro, vice president for marketing and business intelligence at New Jersey Natural Gas.

Future video segments will cover additional topics, including day-to-day consumer economic benefits, refueling instructions and customer profiles.

About Southern California Gas Company

Southern California Gas Company has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 20.9 million consumers connected through nearly 5.8 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.  SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).

About American Gas Association

The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States. There are more than 71 million residential, commercial and industrial natural gas customers in the U.S., of which 92 percent — more than 65 million customers — receive their gas from AGA members. Today, natural gas meets almost one-fourth of the United States' energy needs.

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company