Canadian Inventories Increase from July to August 2021

Canada’s primary underground propane inventories increased by 20.2% in August, according to the Canada Energy Regulator (CER). The total represented a month-to-month increase of 304.7 Mcm. Compared to a year earlier, stocks were lower, with 232.8 Mcm, or 11.4%, less product on hand. 

Propane storages in the West started August a bit higher at 929.6 Mcm, which corresponds to 5.9 MMbbl, the agency reported. From July to August, volumes increased by 168.8 Mcm, or 22.2%, but were below the year prior’s level of 1285.5 Mcm, for a year-over-year loss of 355.9, or 27.7%. In the East, supplies began the month of August at 884.3 Mcm, commensurate with 5.6 MMbbl. This gain put propane 135.9 Mcm, or 18.2%, higher for the month, with an increase of 123.2, or 16.2%, above a year earlier. 

Canadian butane inventories stood at 1047 Mcm at the beginning of August, for a gain of 139.5 Mcm, or 15.4%, from July. Like propane, the year-over-year comparison finds butane volumes to be lower than the prior year’s total, with inventories 228.8 Mcm, or 17.9%, below 2020. Western butane supplies, at 629 Mcm, were higher by 74.1 Mcm, or 13.4%, from the previous month, and were 202.5 Mcm, or 24.4%, lower than last year. Eastern butane, at 418 Mcm, was 65.4 Mcm, or 18.5%, higher month over month, and totaled 26.6 Mcm, or 5.9%, below a year earlier. 

Source for numbers: Canada Energy Regulator Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – Statistics