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Kathairos Solutions says its liquid-nitrogen approach can eliminate routine methane releases from remote well-site pneumatics as Canada tightens methane rules and the company earns global awards recognition.
A Calgary cleantech company says it is scaling up a nitrogen-based system designed to eliminate methane venting from pneumatic devices on remote oil and gas well sites, a niche that has drawn growing attention as Canada tightens methane rules.
Kathairos Solutions, founded in 2020, replaces natural gas used as instrument gas with nitrogen to run pneumatics, avoiding routine releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
In September of 2023, Kathairos said that in less than 12 months of commercial operation it had abated 40,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, and that its adoption included more than 60 producers across 17 basins in Canada and the United States. Kathairos told Resource Works that it had now abated over 850,000 tCO2e emissions to date, with over 70 producers across Canada and the US, showcasing their growth of operations.
The physics of ‘clean air’
“It’s no secret that Alberta has helped show the world what is possible when it comes to reducing methane emissions,” Alberta Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz said at the time.
Kathairos President and CEO Dick Brown said the company’s approach is meant to be practical for remote sites that may lack grid power. “Our name means ‘clean air’ and we are proud to champion imperative solutions that support today’s evolving energy industry, and the people and producers working tirelessly toward the cleanest production practices possible.”
The company’s model combines on-site cryogenic nitrogen storage with monitoring and a refill service, positioning the offering as a way to cut emissions without installing new power infrastructure at each location.
Kathairos has also leaned into partnerships, including arrangements highlighted with Kimray and Chart Industries, and it has emphasized a footprint spanning multiple North American basins.
The company has drawn attention beyond the field. Kathairos says it was named a finalist in the Rising Star Company category at the 2025 Platts Global Energy Awards program run by S&P Global.
Regulatory pressure is rising in parallel. In December 2025, the federal government finalized enhanced methane regulations for the upstream oil and gas sector, and a Kathairos policy explainer said the rules require the near-elimination of methane venting by 2030 while offering prescriptive and performance-based compliance pathways.
Indigenous partnerships and global recognition
Indigenous partnership has also been part of the company’s growth story. In May 2024, Kathairos announced an equity investment from Halfway River Group, owned by Halfway River First Nation, describing the technology as well suited for remote locations on Treaty 8 territory that lack access to electrical power.
“This investment aligns with our commitment to uphold our cultural heritage and embrace environmental stewardship while encouraging the oil and gas industry to implement new technologies to reduce impacts within our traditional territory,” Chief Darlene Hunter said in the announcement.
Kathairos’ early backers have included industrial gas supplier Air Liquide Canada, which has described nitrogen supply as central to the system’s reliability.
“We are proud to support Kathairos in deploying this innovative solution to reduce the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, by ensuring safe, reliable and efficient supply of nitrogen,” Air Liquide Canada CEO Bertrand Masselot said in 2022.
Kathairos has also earned endorsements from figures like former U.S. senator Joe Manchin.
“This initiative is working to ensure American domestic energy security while reducing emissions and protecting environmental quality. I am proud to support Kathairos Solutions,” said Manchin.
Manchin has repeatedly framed emissions reductions as compatible with energy security in public remarks. “If you want to be the superpower of the world, you have to be self-reliant on your energy, and we have all the resources to do it,” Manchin said at an Atlantic Council event in October 2023.
For Kathairos, the pitch is that cutting methane can be treated as an operational retrofit, not a wholesale redesign, with the company arguing that remote pneumatics are a realistic target for near-term emissions reductions.
Geoff Russ is a writer for Resource Works, a non-partisan organization that champions responsible resource development in British Columbia and Canada. Reach Ian at [email protected].
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