Onboard Dynamics

Unique, Patented Natural Gas Compression Technology for Driving Down Emissions

Jason Vosburgh

Onboard Dynamics and ZENRG Announce Strategic Partnership to Service Pipeline Operation Projects

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BEND, OR – Onboard Dynamics LLC (“Onboard Dynamics”), a developer and manufacturer of pipeline evacuation equipment, and ZENRG Services, Inc. (“ZENRG”) have entered into a service partnership agreement.

Onboard Dynamics and ZENRG Announce Strategic Partnership to Service Pipeline Operation Projects
The Onboard Dynamics and ZENRG Services Teams in front of a GoVAC® MAX System at the 2025 AGA Exhibition

Onboard Dynamics, known for its innovative GoVAC® Pipeline Evacuation System, specializes in developing innovative solutions for capturing and recovering natural gas during pipeline maintenance and operations. This system is designed to safely prevent methane emissions during pipeline evacuation activities and serves as an alternative to venting or flaring gas. The GoVAC® System operates without the need for external power sources, utilizing the natural gas it evacuates from the pipeline.

The partnership between Onboard Dynamics and ZENRG aims to combine their expertise to offer comprehensive solutions for pipeline evacuation and emission reduction. By integrating Onboard Dynamics’ pipeline evacuation products with ZENRG’s emission reduction service expertise, the collaboration seeks to enhance operational efficiency, environmental compliance, and safety in the oil and gas sector.

“The partnership with Onboard Dynamics will offer us a competitive advantage to our customers,” said Joe Chandler, ZENRG CEO. “This collaboration will enable us to offer efficient solutions for natural gas pipeline evacuation projects, ensuring our commitment to our customers’ needs.”

“Onboard Dynamics is excited to enter this strategic partnership with ZENRG,” said Mitch Schmidtke, Onboard Dynamics CEO. “This collaboration not only reaffirms the strength and innovation of our technology but also highlights our commitment to meeting the evolving demands of the market. By joining forces with ZENRG, we are poised to deliver enhanced solutions that address the critical needs of the natural gas pipeline industry. Together, we will drive forward advancements in pipeline evacuation and emission reduction, ensuring that ZENRG’s customers benefit from the most efficient and environmentally responsible technologies available.”

This strategic partnership is expected to drive innovation and provide companies with advanced tools to avoid venting or flaring of natural gas and meet their environmental goals while maintaining operational excellence. Both companies are committed to supporting the industry’s transition to more sustainable practices and reducing carbon emissions.

About Onboard Dynamics

Founded in 2013, the goal of Onboard Dynamics is to support the natural gas ecosystem in reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions safely and reliably through our innovative and practical commercial solutions. Our patented compression-based systems minimize methane and other GHG releases during pipeline operations and maintenance, mitigate GHG emissions from transportation vehicles, and capture methane that would otherwise be released to the atmosphere from other industrial operations. Our customers receive expanded environmental benefits and reduction in costs through purchasing, leasing, and/or receiving turn-key services from our natural gas-powered products. For more information, visit www.onboarddynamics.com or follow Onboard Dynamics on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/onboard-dynamics-llc/

About ZENRG Services, Inc.

ZENRG is disrupting the traditional, historically acceptable methods of venting and flaring used across the entire value chain of the oil and gas industry to retain gas and liquid hydrocarbons. A new era of emission standards, social expectations, and investor mandates are driving growth in operations at ZENRG as customers seek solutions to reduce emissions in a safer more environmentally friendly manner. Through patented processes, ZENRG transfers gas and liquids to nearby vessels and pipelines, retaining the product’s value instead of releasing it to the atmosphere and reducing emissions. In many cases, ZENRG provides an economically positive ROI while helping customers to achieve their corporate emissions reduction goals. For more information visit www.zenrgservices.com.

Onboard Dynamics to Exhibit the GoVAC® MAX System at the 2025 AGA Operations Exhibition

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Onboard Dynamics is excited to announce its participation in the 2025 AGA Operations Conference & Biennial Exhibition, held from May 4th to May 8th, 2025, in Aurora, CO. You can find us at booth #1423.

2025 Exhibition

The 2025 exhibition will be held in conjunction with the conference, attracting approximately 250 domestic and international vendors. The exhibition will occupy over 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, including large islands.

About the GoVAC® MAX System

The GoVAC MAX System is designed, developed and manufactured by Onboard Dynamics

Onboard Dynamics will be showcasing our innovative GoVAC® MAX System on the show floor. The GoVAC® MAX system is a self-contained natural gas capture and recovery system that serves as an alternative to venting and flaring. Built on our patented compression technology, the system runs on the natural gas in the pipeline, minimizing the emission profile and eliminating the need for additional equipment and resources during natural gas capture and recovery projects. Its small footprint allows it to fit into challenging locations, and it is nimble enough to be pulled by a standard pickup, making it highly maneuverable around job sites.

The GoVAC MAX System performing cross compression in the field.

Key Features:

  • Safe and simple to operate
  • Easy to set up and deploy
  • Self-contained
  • Automated data capture
  • Remote monitoring and reporting
  • No external power required

The GoVAC® MAX system offers automated data capture, remote monitoring, and ensures safe and tamper-proof transmission, data storage, and secure access. Operators can access accurate and validated environmental and operational reporting on key metrics both on-site and remotely, with the option for third-party certification. This digitized evacuation capability enables pipeline operators to meet current and future regulations and environmental initiatives.

Our knowledgeable staff will be present at the booth to answer any questions and provide detailed information about our products and services. Additionally, the GoVAC® MAX system utilizes advanced cross compression techniques to enhance efficiency and performance, making it a standout solution in the industry.

About the AGA Operations Conference

The annual AGA Operations Conference is the natural gas industry’s premier gathering of natural gas utility and transmission company operations management from across North America and the world. It is a forum for sharing technical knowledge, ideas, and practices to promote the safe, reliable, and cost-effective delivery of natural gas to the end-user. The Operations Conference is AGA’s largest event, regularly attracting more than 900 operations management professionals, including 100 speakers and over 120 technical presentations covering a wide range of topics such as gas measurement, operations advocacy, safety, environment, storage, engineering, construction and maintenance, gas control, supplemental gas, corrosion control, and piping materials.

Use Case: Adding a Valve During a Pipeline Intervention in Belgium

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Adding a Valve During a Pipeline Intervention

Onstream Pipeline Solutions (OPS) successfully utilized Onboard Dynamics’ (OBD) GoVAC® FLEX System to perform pipeline maintenance on a distribution line operated by a major Belgian network company. This use-case highlights the process of adding a valve during a pipeline intervention, showcasing OPS’s expertise in maintaining pipeline integrity and efficiency. This was a live project performed for demonstration purposes.

Onboard Dynamics environmental impact report
The Environmental Impact Report for This Project

Key Details

  • The pipeline owner and operator: A major Belgian network company, active in all Flemish cities and municipalities with approximately 5800 colleagues. 
  • OPS Technicians: Execute the valve installation.
  • OBD Technician: Performs the pipeline evacuation.
  • Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium
  • Date: October 22, 2024
  • Pipeline Length: 300 meters
  • Pipeline Diameter: 10 inches
  • Total Natural Gas Evacuated: 3,257.65 SCF
  • Net Natural Gas Recovered: 1.64 MT CO2e

Process

Jeramy Cummings, the Operations Manager at Onboard Dynamics, shown here training OPS technicians to operate the GoVAC® FLEX System.
Jeramy Cummings, the Operations Manager at Onboard Dynamics, shown here training OPS technicians to operate the GoVAC® FLEX System.
  • Preparation: The operations team reviews the plan.
  • Evacuation: The pipeline is safely evacuated using the GoVAC® FLEX System, ensuring no residual gas remains.
  • Valve Installation: The OPS technician installs the valve, adhering to operational safety guidelines.
  • Re-pressurization: The pipeline is carefully re-pressurized, restoring operational capacity.
  • Documentation: The gas recovery process is documented by the system and provides metrics for the project for current and future reference.

Benefits

  • Efficiency: The GoVAC® FLEX System streamlines the process of evacuating natural gas from the pipeline, minimizing downtime.
  • Safety: The GoVAC® FLEX System is equipped with remote operations monitoring and communications.
  • Environmental Impact: The GoVAC® FLEX System prevents methane releases to the atmosphere contributing to reduced emissions and effective gas management during pipeline operations.
The GoVAC® FLEX System can operate in tight-fitting locations easily and quietly.
The GoVAC® FLEX System can operate in tight-fitting locations easily and quietly.

Conclusion

Successfully using the GoVAC® FLEX System to prevent methane releases into the atmosphere during pipeline evacuation demonstrates the owner and operator’s commitment to a sustainable energy infrastructure. It also exemplifies OPS’s technological leadership and commitment to customer-focused solutions in pipeline management.

With certified technicians and a fleet of well-maintained equipment, OPS continues to set the standard for operational excellence in the industry.

Join Us at the 2025 Gas Machinery Conference: The Critical Role of Accurate Reporting in Mitigating Methane Emissions

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We are excited to announce that Doug Patton, Sales Manager at Onboard Dynamics, will be delivering an insightful presentation titled “The Critical Role of Accurate Reporting in Mitigating Methane Emissions” on Wednesday, January 15th, during the 2025 Gas Machinery Conference (GMRC) in Houston, Texas. This event, taking place from January 12-15, is a fantastic opportunity for industry professionals to come together and explore the latest advancements in gas machinery and emission mitigation strategies.

As the natural gas industry continues to evolve, the importance of automated data collection cannot be overstated. Effective job performance planning relies on accurate and timely data, allowing natural gas companies and service providers to manage projects more efficiently. Doug’s presentation will highlight how real-time monitoring during pipeline evacuation projects can provide immediate visibility into critical project details. This visibility enables timely field actions that can significantly impact a project’s bottom line, ensuring reliable service delivery to customers.

With the amount of pipeline evacuations being performed today, precise documentation of methane emission prevention efforts has become essential. The need for secure and accurate data reporting is paramount, and that’s where advanced pipeline evacuation systems come into play. Doug will discuss how these systems, equipped with remote monitoring capabilities, data integrity measures, and precise measurement tools, are vital for verifying emissions reduction information.

While many solutions are currently being employed to capture and recover natural gas during pipeline evacuations, not all technologies come with on-board control systems that can track and measure these activities. Fortunately, specialized systems, like our GoVAC® pipeline evacuation system, now exist that can electronically capture natural gas flow data, ensuring reliable measurement and reporting. This innovation is transforming the next generation of environmental reporting, providing significant benefits not only to pipeline operators but also to auditing agencies.

In his presentation, Doug will delve into the necessity of control systems that securely communicate with the cloud, which are crucial for today’s methane mitigation efforts. He will cover how data integrity is maintained and the importance of third-party validation processes that prevent unauthorized changes to system data. Attendees will learn about the measures in place to ensure that the information stored is accurate, tamper-proof, and secure.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into the critical role of accurate reporting in mitigating methane emissions. Join us at the GMRC to learn from industry leaders and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of our industry. We look forward to seeing you there!

Discover the GoVAC® Pipeline Evacuation System at the 2025 PPIM Conference

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Onboard Dynamics is excited to announce our participation in the 37th International Pipeline Pigging and Integrity Management (PPIM) Conference, taking place from January 28-30, 2025. Join us at booth #653 for an exciting opportunity to learn about the innovative GoVAC® pipeline evacuation system, engineered and manufactured by Onboard Dynamics.

Discover the GoVAC® Pipeline Evacuation System at the 2025 PPIM Conference

Why Visit Us?

The GoVAC® system is revolutionizing the way natural gas operators handle pipeline evacuations. Our team will be on hand to answer your questions and provide in-depth discussions on how our innovative technology enables operators to adopt best practices for natural gas capture, recovery, and measurement during pipeline evacuations.

Key Features of the GoVAC® System

  • Mobile and Self-Contained: Designed for ultimate flexibility, the GoVAC® system is easy to transport and set up wherever you need it.
  • No External Power Required: Operates independently from a small portion of the natural gas evacuation eliminating the hassle of external power sources, making it ideal for various locations.
  • Measured Evacuation Data: Gain valuable insights with precise data on the evacuation process.
  • Accurate Operational Reporting: Ensure transparency and reliability in your operations with our detailed reporting capabilities.
  • Remote Monitoring: Stay connected and manage your operations from afar with our advanced remote monitoring features.

Find the Right Fit for Your Needs

At our booth, you’ll also have the chance to explore which GoVAC® system best suits your specific pipeline evacuation requirements. Whether you’re interested in the versatile GoVAC® FLEX or the powerful GoVAC® MAX, our team will help you navigate the unique features and benefits of each system.

The GoVAC® MAX system in the field.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your understanding of pipeline evacuation systems and see how the GoVAC® system can optimize your operations. We look forward to welcoming you to booth #653 at the PPIM Conference!

See You There!

Mark your calendars for January 28-30, and make sure to visit Onboard Dynamics at booth #653. Let’s pave the way to more efficient and effective pipeline management together!

Mitch Schmidtke Takes the Helm as CEO of Onboard Dynamics

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Onboard Dynamics is pleased to announce the appointment of Mitch Schmidtke as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. In conjunction with this transition, Rita Hansen, the current CEO and Co-founder, will take on the role of Co-Founder and Advisor, where she will continue to provide her invaluable expertise and guidance.

Mitch Schmidtke, Onboard Dynamics LLC

Mitch Schmidtke is a results-oriented business executive with experience in driving rapid growth and sustaining success across various organizations. He possesses a proven track record in leading teams to achieve vital business outcomes.

Mr. Schmidtke founded and led the growth of Eagle Tanks, Inc., an original equipment manufacturer of aboveground steel tanks for flammable and combustible liquids. During his sixteen years of leadership, he successfully scaled sales revenue tenfold. His expertise encompasses strategic planning, sales management, business process improvement, lean manufacturing, and organizational leadership.

Mr. Schmidtke also brings a distinguished military background as a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve. He has held key leadership positions in infantry and civil affairs branches. His extensive duties and positions include Commander of a Civil Affairs Brigade, Deputy Director of Stability Operations in Southern Afghanistan, and Senior Advisor for the Office of Provincial Affairs, at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

Mitch holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Master’s degree in Business Administration as well as a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he is an active volunteer, serving as a mentor with SCORE assisting entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. His military contributions were recognized with prestigious awards, including two Bronze Star Medals for combat service.

“I am honored to take on the role of CEO at Onboard Dynamics. I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to drive innovation and growth, and to build on the solid foundation that Rita Hansen and the team have established. Together, we will continue to provide safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that support and decarbonize the natural gas industry.” – Mitch Schmidtke, newly appointed CEO of Onboard Dynamics

We are excited to welcome Mitch Schmidtke’s new role to the Onboard Dynamics’ team and look forward to his leadership as we continue advancing cleaner energy for the environment.