Global events have driven the price of diesel higher. (Photo: ronniechua/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

How to use swaps as price protection

August 4, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal details the process of using swaps as price protection when buying propane.

This article is tagged with Conway, Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, Mont Belvieu, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Contangoed vs. backwardated crude price curves and propane prices

May 13, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal looks at the impact of crude forward price curves on propane prices.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude prices, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Propane marketers can reassess and repurpose tank assets that are already in the field to avoid buying new tanks at relatively high prices. (Photo by LP Gas staff)

Trading versus hedging in propane futures

April 15, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, explains key concepts in propane futures.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Use swaps, pre-buys and physicals to manage risk

November 25, 2024 By Mark Rachal

Cost Management Solutions discusses three tools that propane retailers can use to manage supply side risk.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, propane prices, propane supply, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Chart 1: Mont Belvieu - ETR - Sept 2024 through August 2027 (Chart: Cost Management Solutions)

How to minimize the unknowns when pricing propane

September 30, 2024 By Mark Rachal

In this Trader’s Corner, we will try and capture some things we know as propane buyers, some things we may not know now but could, thus reducing the number of unknowns to one.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, financial swaps, Mark Rachal, Mont Belvieu, propane demand, propane exports, propane imports, propane pricing, propane production, propane supply, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Chart 3: Mont Belvieu Close vs 10 & 40 Day Moving Averages (Chart: Cost Management Solutions)

Is there an opportunity in the propane market?

March 11, 2024 By Mark Rachal

Propane prices have been declining since the middle of February. The market feels bearish – and with good reason.

This article is tagged with financial hedging, home heating, petrochemicals, propane dehydrogenation (PDH), propane demand, propane exports, propane market, propane prices, propane production, propane supply, Trader's Corner, winter and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Chart 2: Total US Propane/Propylene Inventory (Cost Management Solutions)

Propane is a cheap Btu

October 30, 2023 By Mark Rachal

Cost Management Solutions’ Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, discusses propane’s relative value to crude and inventory options this winter.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude, crude inventory, financial hedging, inventory, Mark Rachal, Mont Belvieu, propane fundamentals, propane inventories, propane inventory, propane prices, Trader's Corner, weather, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), winter and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Angus Energy hires account executive

October 11, 2023 By Ellen Kriz

Nicolas Pintabona joined Angus Energy as an account executive, focused on hedging opportunities for the company’s client list and expanding in the Northeast.

This article is tagged with Angus Energy, financial hedging, people news and posted in News

Image: arthobbit/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Synergy Commodity hires senior adviser

September 20, 2022 By Danielle Pesta

Price risk management firm Synergy Commodity hired Arthur Ravo as a senior adviser. He has more than 32 years of experience in propane supply and hedging.

This article is tagged with financial hedging, hiring, Paraco Gas, people news, propane grills, risk management and posted in News

39 points to remember about using financial swaps for propane price management

June 29, 2021 By Mark Rachal

For future reference, use this list of key points about financial swaps and how they can be used with pre-buys and spot buying to manage price risks.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, financial swaps, Mark Rachal, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog

TAG: financial hedging