Is PROPANE expected to be in short supply??

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Does anyone know how propane goes from the natural gas into the product that we use out of the familiar tanks?? I think (do not know) that natural gas is in plentiful supply here in the USA.... not like the oil that we import so much of. Does it take much power to turn the natural gas into liquified petroleum gas(propane)? (LPG) Is it a complicated process that has many computer components? I was thinking of getting a small type truck(i.e. ranger,etc) and converting it to propane. Any comments???

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), August 23, 1999

Answers

I don't know how propane is made, but I do know that it does get in short supply at times. If the farmers have to dry a lot of their crops, the price will go up and if the weather gets severe, the price skyrockets. I am sure that there are other things that affect the supply and demand, these are the ones I know about.

-- Beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), August 24, 1999.

My propane supplier tells me that the propane supply is reliable, and he has been able to get a contract at a competitive price. As with anything, there are always unknown factors: the supply lines may experience problems i.e. railroad transportation, trucking, etc. And, of course, we have been hearing quite a few stories about refinery fires, explosions, pipeline leaks, etc.

My own inclination is to trust my dealer, but to ask him to top off my tank before the first of the year.

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), August 24, 1999.


According to my propane guy, propane is a petroleum by-product. If the petroleum industry has troubles, I would expect the amount of propane produced would go down too.

Luckily, it keeps indefinately without deteriorating. Get a big tank.

Not wanting to insult anyone, but just in case there is some confusion, it should be repeated that propane is NOT natural gas.

-- Beth (bethkl19@idt.net), August 24, 1999.


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