10 Things You Might Not Know About Propane Gas
There’s more to propane than you think!
If you use propane in your home here in southwestern Virginia, you know it’s a versatile, efficient energy source for home heating, cooking, water heating, clothes drying, space heating… and more!
But there’s a lot more to propane than that; things that you might not even realize! We have put together for you 10 fun and fascinating facts about clean, green, and reliable propane fuel.
Propane Facts
- The chemical formula for propane is C3H8.
- Propane was first identified as a volatile component in gasoline by Walter O. Snelling. He later patented propane, then, sold that patent in 1913 to Frank Phillips, the founder of Phillips Petroleum, for $50,000. (That’s over $1.3 million in today’s dollars.)
- Propane has no color and has no odor in its natural state. That rotten-egg smell of propane comes from a chemical odorant, most commonly ethyl mercaptan, added during processing for safety reasons for easy detection.
- About 90% of the United States’ propane supply is domestically produced.
- The vast majority of the nation’s propane supply comes from natural gas processing.
- The propane industry contributes close to $40 billion to the United States gross domestic product.
- Propane is one of the cleanest-burning fossil fuels on the planet, and is named as an alternative fuel in both the 1990 Clean Air Act and the National Energy Policy of 1992.
- In the rare event of a leak, propane does not harm the air, soil, water, aquatic life, marine life, or plant life.
- When it comes to your wallet, propane is one of the most budget-friendly energy sources you can find. Today’s high-efficiency propane heating system and other propane appliances have efficiency ratings of nearly 95 percent, or even higher!
- Propane is one of the safer energy sources you can find. Propane will not ignite unless the air around it reaches 940˚ Fahrenheit. Propane tanks used for storage are constructed from carbon steel and are 20 times more puncture resistant than tanks filled with ethanol, methanol or gasoline.
Want to learn more about our safe and reliable propane delivery and other propane services? Contact us today and see how Midway can help your home or business!
