Propane:

Propane is a liquefied petroleum gas and the common name used for propane is LPG; it is a kind of gas that can be compressed and manages in liquid form. Propane is tasteless, colorless, and comes without toxic agents. For the detection of propane, some identifying odor is added.

Where does propane come from? (1)

There are so many uses of propane in daily life therefore the demand for propane is very high. To fulfill the needs of propane, production is very necessary. With the advancement in technology, most automobiles are converted to propane gas kits and commonly referred to as propane autogas.

Propane is generally obtained from the processing of natural gas and it can also be obtained from the extraction and refinement of Crude oil.

  • With the increased extraction of shale gas, the propane supply and demand is decreased. According to the data collected in 2011, a major proportion of the supply were made available of natural gas liquids from Canada and the United States.
  • In the Northeastern U.S, Marcellus shale play tends to give more supply of propane and it is estimated that this company can supply about 200 to 300 million gallons of propane/year.
  • Being a high producer of propane in 2011, the U.S propane export is increased dramatically.

Why people prefer propane?

Most people use propane over other conventional fuel such as gasoline or diesel some of the properties of propane are:

  • Clean: it is certified clean gas according to the U.S Clean Air Act 1990. Shifting towards propane gas instead of gasoline and fuel oil is a preferable choice to keep the environment clean. It reduces the chance of producing and spreading pollutants such as a waste products like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
  • Reliable: the increase in the demand for propane is due to its unique characteristic of reliability. It is delivering the people what they need without any resistance to weather and natural disasters. It is the most reliable source of energy to power homes, businesses and farms.
  • Abundant: propane is an abundant source of fuel gas for America because it is producing enough propane to meet the demand. They are the leading propane producer in the world and providing propane as abundant “bridge fuel,” which is more clean-burner than other gases.
  • Affordable: Propane is affordable gas for the consumers because of the reduced prices of oil in the international market the propane production is increased and due to the high supply in the market the propane prices are less and affordable to the common man.

Propane pricing:

Propane prices in the market stay affordable although there are so many fluctuations in the price of propane like other commodities and it is increased and decreased according to the seasonal demand. Propane is a byproduct generally formed due to the processing of natural gas and another crude oil refining. Thus, the pricing of propane does not affect more; even when the international prices of oil fluctuate.

Seasonal Demand:

In the winter season when the propane demand increases it is obvious that prices should increase because of less supply. The supply of propane does not get affected due to the local propane distributor’s hard work in cold states of the U.S.

How to buy, exchange or dispose of the propane tank? (2)

In the United States, propane is available at the national level with the brand name of AmeriGas and by visiting their website you can find all the procedures. The first step is to find a local seller, for that you have to search their location by entering the area zip code. It will give you all the details regarding retailers and exchange or sale policies. You can visit their local vendors with the old propane grill and according to the demand, they will provide their services by exchanging your old grill with a new one. They also give the option of refilling the propane.

Exchange/Buy propane tank in your neighborhood:

There are more than 54,000 locations of Amerigas at the national level and easily reachable from the common hardware, household store, gas stations, etc. Amerigas has trustworthy relations with their retail partners available in near town making it easier for the customers. There is auto-exchange self-serve propane available as well from where anyone can get propane by entering a personal credit card in a very short time.

Propane at your doorstep:

It is a new service of the Amerigas known as Cynch services in some areas of the U.S that deliver the propane grill to the customer home and it is easy to avail.

Process:

  • Select the area if services are available there
  • Then add the delivery date with time and location
  • By adding the detail all the rest should be done by the Cynch
  • There is contact-free delivery and no delivery charges are imposed on the customers.

Disposal:

  • If you wanted to remove the old or expired tank of propane then
  • Simply contacting the disposal companies could sort it out for you
  • Not through these tanks in the normal trash bin.

How to store propane:

The propane should store outdoors to remain safe from any accident. Some important steps to follow in storing propane are:

  • Before storing the propane gas outside, the first thing to know is that propane does not affect the freezing temperature. Therefore, covering the tank is not necessary.
  • You can place your tank at any wooden or concrete slab either covered or non-covered.
  • In summer or warm conditions, the propane tank should keep a place where it never gets in touch with direct sunlight or under warm rays for a long time.
  • 120 ®F (49 ®C) is the maximum temperature that a propane tank can bear.
  • To store the propane indoor also safe if proper instruction is followed and the right setup is installed.

Common tips for safe use of propane:

  • Do not store your tank on the grill side or upside
  • Make sure that the valve is closed while storing the tank
  • Do not store a propane tank in your home or vehicle
  • Do not use the expired propane tank for refilling

References:

  1. https://propane.com/about-propane/what-is-propane-gas/
  2. https://www.amerigas.com/propane-grill-tanks/buy-exchange-grill-tanks