U.S. Petroleum Demand Rebound Continues
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The broad recovery of U.S. petroleum markets continued in June with U.S. petroleum demand increasing nearly 9% to 17.6 MMbbld, according to data released July 16 in the American Petroleum Institute’s June 2020 Monthly Statistical Report (MSR).
Crude Oil, Natural Gas Production Decrease Largest in Years
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
U.S. crude oil and natural gas production declined in April 2020 by 670,000 bbld and 2.6 Bcfd, respectively, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Monthly Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production Report. Production contractions of that size usually happen only in natural disasters such as hurricanes: the drop in U.S. crude oil production in April was the largest since September 2008 when Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused production to tumble by 1.03 MMbbld.
Safety Programs Added to Online Propane Learning Center
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has added two more safety courses to its lineup on The Learning Center at propane.com. The latest program additions to the online learning platform are:

Bobtail Rollover Prevention, a video training program to help bobtail drivers understand the factors that contribute to a vehicle rollover. It also offers guidelines and tips that can be applied to minimize risk of a rollover.
Pennsylvania Awards Grants For Cleaner Fuel Vehicle Projects
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration on July 20 awarded more than $2.1 million in 2019 Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants (AFIGs) to 18 cleaner-fuel vehicle projects in Pennsylvania to help improve air quality and public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change.
HGL Spot Prices Are Usually Bound By Crude Oil and Natural Gas
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The combination of rapidly falling crude prices in March 2020 and relatively flat, and historically low, natural gas prices squeezed hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) spot prices into a narrow price band from mid-March through the end of April 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports in its Today in Energy. This relatively narrow band has since widened as crude oil prices have increased and natural gas prices have remained low.
AHRI Releases May Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has released its May 2020 U.S. heating and cooling equipment shipment data.

U.S. shipments of residential gas storage water heaters for May 2020 decreased 7.1%, to 332,297 units, down from 357,513 units shipped in May 2019. Residential electric storage water heater shipments decreased 6.1% in May 2020 to 322,303 units, down from 343,390 units shipped in May 2019.
Mid-Month to Mid-Month: Are Prices Without Direction?
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Are prices lacking direction, or are they trying to acclimate to “new normal” of a world amid COVID-19? Looking to EIA for some answers, its latest July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) analysis has not budged over the past month.
Enterprise’s Industry First at Houston Ship Channel
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Enterprise Products Partners LP (Houston) revealed on July 14 it had successfully loaded combination cargoes of NGLs and olefins on the same vessel. During July, Enterprise completed the simultaneous loading of propane and polymer grade propylene into separate compartments on a VLGC at the Enterprise Houston Ship Channel terminal, as well as the simultaneous loading of ethane and ethylene on a vessel at its Morgan’s Point facility. Both vessels were the first export cargoes of their kind from the U.S.
Propane HomePro Website Wins National Design Award
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Propane HomePro website was recognized nationally in the 20th annual American Web Design Awards, sponsored by Graphic Design USA. More than 2000 entries were submitted in the national web design competition and only an elite top 10% were selected as winners.
Sharp Decline Continued in Second Quarter Energy Activity
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City June 10 released the second quarter Energy Survey for the Tenth District. The district encompasses the western third of Missouri; all of Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, as well as the northern half of New Mexico. According to Chad Wilkerson, Oklahoma City Branch executive and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the survey revealed that Tenth District energy activity declined sharply again in the second quarter and was expected to remain primarily unchanged going forward.
Brake Safety Week Set for Late August 2020
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week will proceed as scheduled, Aug. 23-29. Enforcement officials will inspect commercial motor vehicles throughout the week and vehicles found to have critical out-of-service brake violations, or other critical vehicle out-of-service inspection item violations, will be restricted from traveling until those violations are corrected.
API Issues Statement On Biden's Climate Plan
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
On July 14, the American Petroleum Institute (API) released the following statement ahead of former vice president Joe Biden’s expected remarks on his campaign’s new climate plan.
U.S. Rig Count Continues to Decline
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The July 10 Baker Hughes U.S. rig count shows a decrease of five rigs from a week prior, falling to 258 units. Oil rigs were down four to 181; gas rigs off one to 75; and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at two.

U.S. rig count is down 700 rigs from last year's count of 958, with oil rigs down 603, gas rigs off 97, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at two.

The U.S. offshore rig count is unchanged at 12, a decline of 14 year-over-year.
API Welcomes USMCA Implementation
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The American Petroleum Institute (API) welcomes the implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will bolster U.S. energy leadership while benefiting American workers and consumers.

As a member of the USMCA Coalition, API joined more than 200 companies and associations representing a wide cross-section of industries to emphasize the importance of free trade across the U.S. economy. The broad-based coalition was instrumental in securing the agreement’s bipartisan approval in Congress.
Association Shares Flood Preparedness Tips for Propane Users
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
The Canadian Propane Association (CPA) is reminding propane users that they can do their part by being prepared in the event of a flood. Although the reminder was for residents of central and northeast British Columbia who are facing flood advisories, the same holds true in the U.S.
Dominion Energy to Sell Gas Transmission, Storage Assets
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
On July 5, Dominion Energy (Richmond, Va.) announced that it had executed a definitive agreement to sell substantially all of its Gas Transmission & Storage segment assets to an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Des Moines, Iowa) in a transaction valued at $9.7 billion, including the assumption of $5.7 billion of existing indebtedness.
Autogas Day 2020 Activities to Begin Nov. 4
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Autogas Day is a dedicated occasion that takes place annually to provide a high-level conference on the most recent autogas developments, as well as an opportunity for the LPG industry to get involved through local activities targeting key stakeholders worldwide.
Half-Year Discoveries are the Lowest of the Century
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Rystad Energy (Oslo, Norway) estimates global discoveries of conventional resource volumes reached just 4.9 Bbbl of oil equivalent (boe) in the first half of 2020, the weakest-performing first half of the 21st century. Compared to the same period in 2019, the resource volumes were 42% lower and the number of discoveries was down by 31%.
New Method for Producing Building Blocks for Medicines
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
In industry, gaseous hydrocarbons, such as ethane and methane, are frequently changed into molecules that can act as building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. These processes typically take place at high temperatures and pressures, and can also produce large amounts of pollutants.
Hiltz Propane Systems Acquires Chesmont Engineering
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Hiltz Propane Systems Inc. (Marietta, Pa.) plans to acquire Chesmont Engineering Co. Inc. (Exton, Pa.), to offer a unified engineering and turnkey solution to the propane and energy industry. In addition to their specialized expertise in propane systems, Chesmont, founded in 1973, brings engineering experience in the natural gas and industrial heat process industries.