Author

BPN Staff

Compiled by BPN Staff

 

  • People

    Propane People “In The News”…

    The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) recently named a number of new directors to its board . Stephen Kossuth of AmeriGas Propane LP in Houston is Propane Supply & Logistics chairman , and Bob Wallace of Admiral Propane (Marysville, Tenn.) Member Services chairman. Bob Paul of RegO (Elon, N.C.) has taken on the responsibilities of Manufacturers section director . Newly named state directors include Thomas Tarantin of Tarantin Industries (Freehold, N.J.), New Jersey state director; Andy Wise of ThompsonGas LLC (Columbiana, Ala.), Alabama state director; Ryan Buller of McMinnville Gas Inc. (McMinnville, Ore.), Oregon state director; David Long, Long’s Propane Gas LLC (Marlette, Mich.), Michigan state director; Billy Ray Prince, Pinnacle Propane (North Little Rock, Ark.), Arkansas director; and Kara Tucker of Koppy’s Propane Inc....

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    U.S. Power Outages Nearly Double In 2017

    Electric power for U.S. customers was interrupted an average of 7.8 hours in 2017, nearly double the average duration of interruptions experienced in 2016, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports. More major events such as hurricanes and winter storms occurred in 2017, and the duration of power cuts caused by major events was longer. Excluding major events, the average duration of interruptions customers experienced was nearly identical in 2016 and 2017 at about two hours in both years. In 2017, the average customer experienced 1.4 interruptions counting major events and 1.0 interruptions excluding major events, EIA said. The District of Columbia, New Jersey, North Dakota, Arizona, and South Dakota had the shortest total time interrupted last year, with average interruptions ranging from 58 minutes for...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    Appliance Showroom Creates New Customers, New Off-Season Revenue Stream

    “The fireplace? The heart of the home itself.” — Frank Lloyd Wright As home improvements continue to outpace new home construction, home remodeling and addition projects were up nearly 10% in 2017, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA). AIA’s annual Home Design Trends Survey found that in 2017 the outdoor living room topped the list of most popular special-function rooms as reported by nearly 40% of respondents, outranking mud room (23%), home office (16%), in-law (7%), sun room/3-season porch (5%), roof deck (3%), and other (9%). The survey also reveals there is more interest in home energy efficiency, up to 52% in 2017 vs. 47% in 2016, with tankless water heating gaining support pulling a 49% favorability rating in 2017 vs. only 35%...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    Port of Corpus Christi, Carlyle To Build Oil Export Terminal

    The Port of Corpus Christi and the Carlyle Group (Washington, D.C.) have agreed to develop a crude oil export terminal on Harbor Island. The project is aimed at creating the first onshore location on the U.S. Gulf Coast capable of serving fully laden very large crude carriers (VLCCs). The project seeks to connect growing crude oil production in the U.S. with global markets, while bolstering the port’s position as a crude oil export hub. VLCC access at the Port of Corpus Christi is seen opening the global markets for U.S. oil producers, pipelines, their supply chains, and customers. The project could produce up to a $50-billion annual reduction to the national trade deficit, the developers estimate. Importantly, the city of Corpus Christi would benefit from...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    Quarles Petroleum to Acquire Hartfield-Based Revere Gas

    Quarles Petroleum (Fredericksburg, Va.), a regional provider of residential and commercial fuel, has signed a purchase agreement to acquire Revere Gas, a third-generation, family-owned retail propane distribu- tor based in Hartfield, Va. Details of the transaction were not released. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year. “The Revere Gas delivery area complements our existing delivery territory in central Virginia and expands our presence in eastern Virginia,” said Paul Giambra, Quarles Petroleum CEO. “As family-owned businesses our companies share the same core values of providing superior service to our customers and giving back to the communities we serve. We look forward to welcoming Revere customers to Quarles and pledge to deliver the same high caliber of customer service they’ve come to...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    California Propane Retailer Sells To Energy Distribution Partners Marking EDP’s 21st Acquisition

    (December 14, 2018) — Energy Distribution Partners (“EDP”), based in Chicago, Illinois, has acquired Ebbetts Pass Gas Service with operations in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California. This is EDP’s 21st transaction. Ebbetts Pass Gas Service was started in 1942 by Harold and Yolanda Mosbaugh to provide propane to local mills for kiln-drying lumber. The Mosbaughs significantly expanded the business into residential and commercial propane and eventually expanded further into gasoline, diesel and sand/gravel sales. Today, the operation serves more than 8,000 customers in Calaveras and Alpine counties, about 100 miles southeast of Sacramento. Dean and Rodney Korbelik, grandsons of the Mosbaughs, have managed the business in recent years and Yolanda Mosbaugh has remained active in running the company. Ebbetts Pass Gas Service is...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    Ferrellgas Announces Acquisition of Co-op Butane Inc. In Louisiana

    LIBERTY, Mo. (Dec. 14, 2018) — Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (“Ferrellgas”) has announced the acquisition of Co-Op Butane, Inc., an independent propane retailer based in Bush, Louisiana. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive and is further evidence of the partnership’s long-standing commitment to growing its core propane business. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
 Founded in 1987 by Keith Fitzmorris and Reubin Miley, Co-Op Butane has grown over the past 30 years to become one of the leading small businesses in St. Tammany and Washington parishes in eastern Louisiana. “Co-Op Butane has long been a company known for its commitment to providing exceptional propane service,” said James E. Ferrell, Interim Chief Executive Officer and President. “We look forward to welcoming their employees and...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    URGENT: Problems Receiving Transport Loads of Propane In Colorado, New Mexico

    ARVADA, COLORADO (December 14, 2018) — The Colorado Propane Gas Association (CPGA) and the New Mexico Propane Gas Association (NMPGA) have been notified that many propane marketers in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico are experiencing problems with receiving transport loads of propane. If this is the case with your company, please email the executive director of the Colorado and New Mexico propane gas associations, Dan Binning, today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. '; . Please include a brief message about the issues you are experiencing and also your inventory level. Mr. Binning needs this information to obtain an Hours of Service (HOS) waiver from the two states. Please Respond Today!

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    Autogas: Removing Propane’s Great Hypocrisy

    By Randy Doyle… Most propane marketers believe autogas has significant growth potential. To date, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has spent more than $30 million since 2004 on new autogas technology and currently spends about $2 million annually to develop this market. Yet the propane industry’s adoption of autogas as a fuel for company vehicles remains low. Herein is the hypocrisy. We want fleet owners to use propane instead of gasoline and diesel, but the propane industry’s rate of autogas use is extremely low. Why don’t propane marketers use propane in their fleets? What are the barriers? What’s being done to overcome these barriers? What’s the plan for reaching critical mass adoption of by the propane industry? We must answer these questions because...

    Read More →

  • Feature Articles

    RECALL NOTICE: A.O. Smith Water Heaters Recalled Citing Potential Fire Hazard

    December 5, 2018 — A.O. Smith Corporation (Milwaukee, Wisc.) recently announced a recall of more than 616,000 water heaters noting that the products are fire hazards. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled model’s gas burner screen rips easily, which can create excess radiant heat posing a fire hazard if it is installed directly on a wood or other combustible floor. Issued on November 8, 2018, the recall includes propane and natural gas-fired residential Ultra-Low NOx emission gas water heaters in the 30-, 40- and 50-gallon sizes. The affected models were manufactured between April 2011 and August 2016, with the first four digits of the serial numbers between 1115 and 1631. These digits represent the year and week that the...

    Read More →