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| W H A T I S P R O P A N E ? |
| o Propane is a member of the hydrocarbon family. The chemical formula for propane is C3H8. Propane is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic. An ordorant called ethyl mercaptan, that smells like sulfur, is added to propane when it is loaded into transport trucks or into railcars. As a safety measure, the ordorant helps ensure detection in case of leaks. Where does propane come from? Forty-six percent of propane produced today is recovered from natural gas through a separation process called fractionation. Forty-five percent comes from refining crude oil, and the remaining nine percent is imported. Ninety percent of all propane is produced domestically in the United States. Propane is shipped to retail storage sites on some 70,000 miles of pipeline across the United States as well as on railcars, transport trucks, and barges. Propane is heavier than air. Under normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, propane is a gas. Under moderate pressure and lower temperatures, propane changes into a liquid. Propane takes up much less space in its liquid form. It is 270 times more compact in its liquid state than it is as a gas. A thousand gallon tank holding gaseous propane would provide a family enough cooking fuel for one week. A thousand gallon tank holding liquid propane would provide enough cooking fuel for more than five years. Propane is environmentally friendly because it emits no sulfur dioxide. If unintentionally released, propane quickly evaporates and does not contaminate soil or groundwater.
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