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

Update: Solving for the unknown in crazy April propane prices

April 28, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, gives an update on last week’s conundrum of April’s propane forward price curve.

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

Solving for the unknown in crazy April propane prices

April 22, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications for Cost Management Solutions, examines propane’s current forward price curve.

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

Far-out thoughts on buying propane

April 7, 2025 By Mark Rachal

This week, Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, discusses the historical averages and the future of buying propane.

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

Playing the averages may mean missing an opportunity

April 1, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, warns against getting price protection for the next winter.

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

$Chart 1: Fractionated vs non-fractionated propane inventories$

Ready-for-sale propane data making an impact

March 25, 2025 By Mark Rachal

This week, Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, revisits the ready-for-sale propane data point.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Mark Rachal, propane demand, propane inventories, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: Daily prices natural gas 2020-2025 (Chart courtesy of Cost Management Solutions)

Is it a new era for natural gas pricing?

March 18, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal explains what’s happening with natural gas pricing and how it may affect propane prices

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, liquefied natural gas (LNG), Mark Rachal, natural gas, natural gas liquids, natural gas processing, propane prices, propane pricing, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Gas House horizontal tanks in rows. Photo by LP Gas staff

It’s actually good when price protection doesn’t pay off

March 11, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, shares a lesson about price protection he learned from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

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

Chart 1: Crude weekly commercial inventories

Outlook for crude and its impact on propane prices

February 10, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications for Cost Management Solutions, explores crude’s impact on propane prices.

This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude, crude inventory, crude prices, Mark Rachal, propane prices, 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)

Propane speculation for retailers

January 27, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal explains how propane retailers can take long and short positions on propane.

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

TAG: propane prices