OT: Propane is now outrageously expensive

Just called to see about getting some for my house and was told it is now $4.99/gallon. I just heard over the weekend there was some sort of national shortage. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks this is some ploy to drive up prices. The national level propane manufacturers didn't forget how to make propane all of a sudden. That's over $1,200 to fill up if you are near empty on a 250 gallon tank. Considering the majority of propane users are rural residents, and by in large not as affluent as those in cities on natural gas, this is going to hit a lot of people here in MS and elsewhere pretty damn hard.

Well, they've declared a "propane emergency" in Texas, the largest producer of LP in the country, because of cray cray demand. Thus many of the regulations imposed on producers have been relaxed. The midwest has been gobbling up LP at record pace this winter. If the extended GFS model is right, it is going to get much worse before it gets better. 5 consecutive days below freezing at DFW in early February.

Alabama has also declared a state of emergency too I saw on the news last night. I had no idea there was this big shortage until my mom called me Saturday night after seeing it. Maybe I should follow recruiting a little less closely and regular news more closely.

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Originally Posted by starkvegasdawg

Just called to see about getting some for my house and was told it is now $4.99/gallon. I just heard over the weekend there was some sort of national shortage. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks this is some ploy to drive up prices. The national level propane manufacturers didn't forget how to make propane all of a sudden. That's over $1,200 to fill up if you are near empty on a 250 gallon tank. Considering the majority of propane users are rural residents, and by in large not as affluent as those in cities on natural gas, this is going to hit a lot of people here in MS and elsewhere pretty damn hard.

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There's a shortage because demand has been much higher this year than the supply we have. The refiners don't make as much money on propane as they do, reforming the Smaller carbon chain gasses back into gasoline to boost octane. The usually only make enough for the LPG demand as needed, which I think is dictated by the government. Most propane in a refinery is reformed back into fuel or sold to chemical plants as feedstock. Much more valuable to upgrade gasoline and make into plastics, than sell as propane.

A 2nd reason is the person sitting in the Oval Office but I won't go there. You all can read and infer about his policies.

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Originally Posted by starkvegasdawg

Maybe I should follow recruiting a little less closely and regular news more closely.

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Hahaha I thought the same thing, but reading the news makes my blood pressure boil like no other. Mainly because it's shit that really matters and can affect my family down the line.

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Originally Posted by starkvegasdawg

Just called to see about getting some for my house and was told it is now $4.99/gallon.

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Just had my 500 gallon tank filled yesterday (1/26). I was charged $2.75 per gallon which is the highest I've ever paid per gallon in 17 years but no where near $5 per gallon.

POLAR VORTEX

All because of the named winter storms I say!!!1!!!1!