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Feature Articles

In-depth feature stories examining the trends, challenges and innovations shaping the propane and LPG industry.

  • Crestwood Celebrates Propane Rail Terminal Grand Opening in Montgomery, New York

    Kansas City, MO (September 7, 2017) – Crestwood Services, the Supply & Logistics unit of Crestwood Equity Partners LP, celebrated the official Grand Opening of its new rail terminal in Montgomery, New York, which is now fully operational. The terminal – believed to be the largest propane rail terminal in the United States – will provide propane marketers across New York, New England and other parts of the Northeast with reliable supply year ‘round. The terminal’s state-of-the-art design includes a 16-spot rail rack operating two switches per day, assuring a capacity of up to 100 trucks per day. The four-spot truck rack with can pumps loads four trucks in 17 minutes, eliminating long wait times during peak winter months and optimizing daily transportation. “The Montgomery…
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  • Support TPGA Disaster Relief Fund

    Austin, Tex. (September 5, 2017) — The Texas Propane Gas Association (TPGA) needs our help to secure funds to assist residential propane consumers in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. The TPGA Disaster Relief Fund was established to help aid residential propane customers affected by Hurricane Harvey in need of help with their residential propane equipment. The TPGA has set up this fund to help off set the cost of safely returning into service affected equipment at the homes of existing residential propane customers in counties devastated by Hurricane Harvey. The TPGA will manage the fund with oversight of the Board of Directors. Weekly updates will be provided through social media and TPGA communications. Additional program details and how to apply for funds will be forthcoming….
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  • Research Reports Appalachia Poised For Petrochemical Renaissance

    (September 5, 2017) West Virginia University (WVU)-led research has resulted in a recently released study that shows how the region around West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio can support storage facilities that are critical for attracting petrochemical and related industries to the area. “Appalachia is poised for a renaissance of the petrochemical industry due to the availability of natural gas liquids,” said Brian Anderson, director of the WVU Energy Institute. “A critical path for this rebirth is through the development of infrastructure to support the industry. The Appalachian Storage Hub study is the first step for realizing that necessary infrastructure.” Geologic formations were studied in Pennsylvania and Ohio that could offer suitable locations for developers to build underground storages for NGLs from Marcellus and Utica wells….
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  • Low-Emission Transfer and Redundant Fail-Safe Product Control Measures

    (August 30, 2017) Low-emission transfer is gaining popularity with the increasing use of propane, often referred to as autogas, in over-the-road vehicles. Redundant fail-safe product control measures (RFPC) is an associated concept to enhance safety. They permit separation distances to be reduced to enable installations that otherwise could not be allowed. However, our inspectors are finding places that are claiming the benefits of low-emission transfer without properly considering the rules. I apologize up front for the complexity of this article and for the references that clutter it. This is not a well-understood idea by many people who are considering its use. I will attempt to point out at least some of the nuances, but technical descriptions are necessary to convey the concept. Low-emission transfer is…
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  • Russian Funding of American Environmental Groups Alleged

    Reps. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and Randy Weber (R-Texas), chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, have sent a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin requesting an investigation into what appears to be a concerted effort by Russia to funnel millions of dollars through various nonprofit groups to influence the U.S. energy market. Specifically, the congressmen point to evidence Russia is funding anti-fossil fuel and anti-hydraulic fracturing groups in order to bolster its own energy sector dominance. “This scheme allows money originating from foreign countries like Russia to funnel through Bermuda-based shell companies to environmental groups in the United States with the aim of disrupting the U.S. energy industry,” the letter alleges. Further, “entities connected…
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  • Profiles In Propane: Tyler Misel…Jack of All Trades

    (August 2017) — Tyler Misel is the operations manager at Georgia Gas Distributors, a suburban Atlanta company started by his grandfather in 1957. The company was initially founded to cater to the forklift market and still focuses on commercial and industrial gas today, but also includes residential business, and a growing autogas clientele. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company including managing drivers, plant technicians, service, and dispatch, and he also handles IT operations. According to Misel, “Most days start early at the plant, getting the drivers on the road and liaising with dispatch and service techs to get their day going. I usually speak with the plant techs if there is something special going on that they need to be aware…
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  • Enterprise Reports No Major Damage to Facilities in Gulf

    Houston, Tex. (August 29, 2017) — Enterprise Products Partners LP (Houston) reports Aug. 29 that initial assessments of its facilities on the Texas Gulf Coast showed no significant damage from the impacts of Tropical Storm Harvey. In South Texas, two of the company’s eight natural gas processing plants, including its largest, Yoakum, were in service. However, the remaining six natural gas processing plants and the Shoup NGL fractionation facility were not in operation due to the effects of the storm, including loss of power, loss of third-party services, minor damage and/or the level of natural gas production. In general, Enterprise said, the partnership’s natural gas and NGL and crude oil pipelines serving South Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale remained in commercial service. At Enterprise’s…
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  • Hurricane Harvey Shutters 2.2 MMbbld Of Refining Capacity

    (August 28, 2017) — S&P Global Platts reports that roughly 2.2 MMbbld of refining capacity has been shuttered. Houston refineries began shutting down Sunday because of flooding. Refiners have not reported any damage so far. The following plants have been, or were in the process of, shutting down Sunday:Exxon Mobil, Baytown; Valero, Corpus Christi; Citgo, Corpus Christi; Flint Hills, Corpus Christi; Magellan, Corpus Christi; Buckeye, Corpus Christi, Shell, Deer Park Pasadena, Pasadena; Phillips 66, Sweeny; and Valero, Three Rivers. The Texas Gulf Coast is home to nearly 5 MMbbld of refining capacity, while the Louisiana Gulf Coast is home to almost 4 MMbbld of capacity, notes S&P Global Platts, citing the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Oil and gas companies on the Texas Gulf Coast were…
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  • IC Bus Launches Grant Program To Help Schools Purchase Propane School Buses, Additional Items

    (August 24, 2017) — IC Bus has announced a new, environmentally friendly grant program that provides school districts with incentives to add propane-powered school buses to their fleets. The IC Bus Grant Program will offer qualifying school districts throughout the United States and Canada $5,000 in grants per newly purchased propane-powered CE Series school buses. This grant gives those school districts that would like, or are planning to make the switch to propane, more flexibility in their purchase decision. The grant can be used toward items such as buying additional buses, investing in new technology, hiring additional drivers, infrastructure updates to maintenance facilities, among other uses that the school district prioritizes. "With today's advanced propane-powered buses offering an added dimension of environmental benefit, IC Bus…
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  • Is There A Solution to Onslaught of Electric Forklifts?

    Propane forklifts have been losing ground to electricity over the last decade, despite their dominance of the market since the 1950s. What happened, and what can be done? There’s no simple answer to why it happened, but experts walked us through the issues, and they have a few solutions on how to fix the problem. According to the Propane Education & Research Council’s (PERC) deputy director of business development, Jeremy Wishart, forklifts have been around for more than 100 years, though the modern forklift began with the 1917 Clark Tructractor, according to most sources. “It had an internal combustion engine, I’d assume gasoline, simply based on what was popular at the time,” said Wishart. Propane-powered forklifts came about in the 1950s, and quickly commanded the…
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  • Clarksville-Montgomery Schools Boasts Largest Propane School Bus Fleet in Tennessee

    The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System in Tennessee has launched 15 new propane-powered Type C school buses that began transporting students Aug. 7, 2017, making it the largest alt-fuel school bus fleet in Tennessee. A launch ceremony was held at Montgomery Central High School in July and showcased several of the new buses. The vehicles were partially funded through a Reduced Diesel Emissions for a Healthier Tennessee grant that Tennessee Clean Fuels (TNCleanFuels) manages for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The event marked another step in the school system’s quest to drive down bus maintenance costs, increase fuel cost savings, and to model cleaner, feasible, and cost-effective student transportation options that are more environmentally friendly and less costly than diesel. School system vehicle maintenance…
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  • Georgia School Rolls Out 90 New Propane Buses With Three-Point Seat Belts

    As the school year begins, Georgia’s Fulton County School System has rolled out a new fleet of 90 Blue Bird propane autogas-fueled school buses equipped with three-point seat belts. It is the largest fleet of its kind in the state. The district said it chose the buses for their safety and environmental and economic benefits. The 72-passenger propane buses will begin operation in the 2017-2018 school year. “Our new Blue Bird propane buses with three-point seat belts meet our goal to provide the safest and most efficient transportation service for our community,” said Sam Ham, executive director of transportation at Fulton County Schools. “We are the first district in Georgia with three-point seat belts on a regular-route Type C bus. And with propane, we expect…
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