Canadian Inventories Increase from April to May 2022

Canada’s primary underground propane inventories increased by 49.41% in May, according to the Canada Energy Regulator. The total represented a month-to-month increase of 184.4 Mcm. Compared to a year earlier, stocks were lower, with 397.3 Mcm, or 41.61%, less product on hand. 

Propane storages in the West started May a bit higher at 437.6 Mcm, which corresponds to 2.757 MMbbl, the agency reported. From April to May, volumes increased by 125.6 Mcm, or 40.26%, and were 153.9 less than the year prior’s level of 591.5 Mcm. Propane storages in the East started May higher at 119.9, commensurate with 755,370 bbl. This gain put propane 58.7 Mcm, or 95.92%, higher for the month, with a decrease of 243.5, or 67.01% below a year earlier. 

Canadian butane inventories stood at 579.6 Mcm at the beginning of May, for an increase of 87.9 Mcm, or 17.88%, from April. Like propane, the year-over-year comparison finds butane volumes to be lower than the prior year’s total, with inventories 152.6 Mcm, or 20.84%, below 2020. Western butane supplies, at 437.7 Mcm, were higher by 44.1 Mcm, or 11.20%, from the previous months and were 79.6 Mcm, or 15.39%, less than last year. Eastern butane, at 141.9 Mcm, was 43.8 Mcm, or 44.65%, higher month over month, and totaled 73 Mcm, or 33.97%, below a year earlier. 

Source: Canada Energy Regulator