Last winter’s propane shortage shed light on number of will-call account complications. The phone rings. Will-call customers call continuously, pleading for retailers to deliver propane at this very moment. The ongoing blizzard won’t make any delivery easy, as roads are iced over and snow covered. But will-call customers tell service reps how they’re about to run out of fuel. Their... read more
In 2014, the United States exported an average of 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of non-crude petroleum products – including propane, butane and gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). For a record-setting 13th consecutive year, U.S. petroleum product exports were up. High global demand and record-setting U.S. refinery runs were among the reasons cited by the EIA.... read more
Most of us who are old enough remember the “Saturday Night Live” skit in the Greek diner where all they serve are cheeseburgers and Pepsi. Regardless of what the patrons attempt to order, they end up with a cheeseburger and Pepsi. I like to review the menu when eating out. However, I will generally order the same thing at a... read more
Dixie Gas began the construction of a bulk storage and distribution plant in Low Moor, Va., which will replace the company’s existing location in Covington, Va. Christopher Earhart, president of Dixie Gas, says the larger plant will help meet the company’s growing demand. The storage and distribution plant will feature three 30,000-gallon propane storage tanks, two underground 30,000-gallon petroleum storage... read more
Avalara, a provider of cloud-based software compliance solutions related to taxes, launched Avalara ExciseRates, which is a free fuel tax calculator that allows buyers and sellers of bulk fuel to determine the excise taxes that apply to any bulk fuel transaction. Avalara’s ExciseRates can calculate tax rates for propane, as well as other fuels. Matt Tormollen, general manager of Avalara’s... read more
Adam Hock, assistant professor of chemistry at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and colleagues have developed a new cobalt catalyst that selectively transforms propane to propene and hydrogen, the school announced. Their research is described in “Selective propane dehydrogenation with single-site CoII on SiO2 by a non-redox mechanism” in the Journal of Catalysis. Propene, with worldwide sales of $90 billion... read more
Themed “Success Stories,” the second annual Tri-State Alternative Fueling Expo & Conference was held Feb. 24-26 at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Pa. The event blended the expanding alternative fuels trade with the transportation and shale oil and gas industries. The expo showcased exhibitors from across the alternative fuels spectrum, including propane autogas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid... read more
Power Solutions International Inc. (PSI), which designs, engineers and manufactures emissions-certified alternative fuel and conventional power systems, has acquired Buck’s Engines LP, a manufacturer of alternative fuel engines for industrial markets. Buck’s is a product line of United Engines LLC. Based in Oklahoma City, Buck’s, a General Motors industrial OEM, supplies a range of alternative fuel engines that run on... read more
The Canadian Propane Association (CPA) welcomed Bob Chiarelli, Ontario’s minister of energy, to the W.O. Stinson & Son head office and propane facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Chiarelli toured the facility and discussed the important role propane plays in the province. Over the past year, the CPA worked with Chiarelli and Ministry of Energy officials to educate consumers about propane’s... read more
Prins Autogassystemen, a Westport company, won the innovation award for its LP gas direct injection technology at the Gas Show 2015 in Warsaw, Poland. Westport won the innovation award for its heavy duty diesel dual fuel technology that makes it possible to replace a certain amount of diesel with LP gas, compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas. The technology... read more
