LP/Gas articles from December 2004

LP/Gas archives from December 2004

Promise of a new year.(View Point)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... The dire mood of hundreds of propane retailers who responded to our State of the Industry Report this year could be buoyed by the promise of a kinder, less onerous federal government heading into the new year. Admittedly, it's those who are...

Pricing plan survey.(In the know)
December 1, 2004... During the 2004 Propane Marketing & Operations Forum, we asked 30 retail propane marketers about pricing plans. Here are the results. Outcomes: Of the marketers that attended the pricing session, most (80%) have successfully used...

Propane master limited partnership comparison.(LP/Gas Stock Index)(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... Propane Master Limited Partnership Comparison Company Symbol Quarter Price Distri- Yield Ended (11/10/04) bution AmeriGas APU June $28.85 $2.20 ...

Propane MLP price history.(LP/Gas Stock Index)
December 1, 2004... Historic price index Propane stock price history calculated by averaging unweighted prices for AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Heritage, Inergy, Star Gas and Suburban master limited partnerships. Sources: Public information and A.G. Edwards & Sons,...

Weather watch.(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... Heating degree days by state State October Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from norm Alabama 46 -107 2651 -203 Alaska ...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
December 1, 2004... * Jan. 11 Illinois Propane Education & Research Council meeting at the Illiniois Propane Gas Association office in Springfield, IL. For details, contact Rhonda Turner at 800-727-6207 or rturner@ilpga.org. * Jan. 21-22 Minnesota Propane Gas...

Propane accidents affect all of us.(Safety First)
December 1, 2004... Extra, extra--did you hear the news? The standard reaction of many marketers upon hearing the news of a competitor's propane accident or related incident may vary, but it usually sounds like this: "That company was an accident waiting...

You don't have to do it all yourself.(Business Matters)(Column)
December 1, 2004... With its thousands of independently owned and operated businesses, the retail propane industry seems highly fragmented to outsiders. It is estimated that 60 to 66 percent of the U.S. retail propane market lies in the hands of 5,000 to...

Hours-of-service changes on table : the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is offering to let motor carriers track their own hours of service via electronic or paper records.(Washington Report)
December 1, 2004... Carriers would have to develop a system to verify compliance with hours-of-service regulations, under a federal plan. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed a "self-monitoring system," which carriers could keep...

Efficiency standards.(Briefly speaking: notes from Capitol Hill)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy issued new final rules for efficiency standards for various commercial and industrial appliances and the procedures to test them. Revisions cover water heaters, hot water supply boilers,...

Due process rights.(Briefly speaking: notes from Capitol Hill)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... FMCSA has proposed amending its motor carrier safety and hazmat rules. The changes only affect enforcement procedures, public awareness and technicalities. For details, see the Oct. 20 Federal Register.

Direct assessment of pipelines.(Briefly speaking: notes from Capitol Hill)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Propane-powered vehicles will no longer need to come with a label indicating their emissions information. The Federal Trade Commission has instead decided they will only have to refer buyers to the Environmental Protection Agency's green...

Competing on affordability: an in-depth look at the numbers, trends, plans and concerns from propane retailers nationwide.(State Of The Industry 2004)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2004... They say hope springs eternal, but that certainly isn't the message from propane retailers who responded to our fifth annual State of the Industry Report. This year, the most common concern was the price of propane--the fear that the level...

One for the road? Over-the-counter medicines can be dangerous for workers who end up under the influence of perfectly legal drugs.
December 1, 2004... Richard Smith, the Staten Island Ferry pilot who crashed his ferry into a dock and killed 11 people in October 2003, recently acknowledged that he passed out at the controls after taking tramadol (a pain relief medication) and Tylenol PM, two...

Star Gas to sell propane operations to Inergy.(Kansas City, Missouri)(Star Gas Propane L.P.; Inergy L.P.)
December 1, 2004... Inergy LP has agreed to buy all of the partnership interests in Star Gas Propane, L.P., the propane operating partnership of financially troubled Star Gas Partners, L.P. for $475 million. This acquisition will create the fifth-largest...

Onboard recorders likely part of hours-of-service rules.(Washington, D.C.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Trucker drivers can expect to see electronic onboard recorders under the next version of the hours-of-service rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, according to one industry leader. Douglas Duncan, chief executive...

Background checks system not ready to begin.(Washington, D.C.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Background checks and fingerprints for truck drivers who haul hazardous materials likely will not begin Jan. 31 as the Transportation Security Administration had planned. The system instead may be applied only to new applicants who seek...

Worthington Industries to buy propane, cylinder assets.(Columbus, Ohio)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Worthington Industries will buy the propane and specialty gas cylinder assets of Milwaukee-based Western Industries Inc., whose Propane & Specialty Cylinder Group makes 14.1-ounce and 16.4-ounce disposable cylinders from two locations. The...

Propane thefts fuel FBI speculation about terrorism.(Denver, Colorado)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... About 100 cylinders have been stolen from various businesses in the Denver area since July, prompting an FBI investigation. The 33-pound cylinders, which are typically used to power farm machinery, each contain about 7.8 gallons of propane....

Countrymark turns propane market over to CHS.(St. Paul, Minnesota)(Countrymark Cooperative Inc.; CHS Inc. (Arlington, Texas))(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Indianapolis-based Countrymark Co-op will exit the wholesale propane business in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, and recommends its customers turn to CHS Inc. Countrymark told its customers in late October of its decision to leave the propane...

Propane hauling exemption extended for farm use.(Washington, D.C.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Transportation will continue to allow private carriers to haul liquefied propane gas in non-DOT-specified cargo tank motor vehicles for agricultural purposes. DOT renewed the exemption that was scheduled to expire...

Inergy to acquire Moulton Gas Service, Groves Gas.(Wapakoneta, Ohio)
December 1, 2004... Inergy will add about 25,000 customers through two acquisitions in Ohio and Illinois. The Kansas City, Mo.-based Inergy will buy the propane assets of Moulton Gas Service Inc., which runs four retail locations and 11 satellite plants from...

NPGA rolls out new state tort reform project.(Washington, D.C.)(National Propane Gas Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The National Propane Gas Association's state tort reform project was introduced to state association executives at the NPGA-PERC conference of state executives in Washington, D.C. last month. Tort reform - also known as limited legal...

Fire risk prompts recall of Robertshaw gas valves.(Long Beach, California)(Robertshaw Controls Co.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Robertshaw Controls Co. is recalling the TS-11 thermal safety control gas valve and its magnet head used on commercial cooking equipment with pilot lights, including ranges, griddles, fryers and warming trays. The faulty valve could stick...

York International recalls UPG gas furnaces.(York, Pennsylvania)(American Standard Inc. Unitary Products Group)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Some 226,000 gas furnaces manufactured by Unitary Products Group of York International Corp. are being recalled. The furnaces can overheat, causing heat-exchanger cracking, burn-through and, in extreme cases, furnace wrapper burn-through....

Connectors.(Products)
December 1, 2004... Fleet owners might benefit from Posi-Products' patented connectors, which tap hot leads without crimping, splicing or cutting wires. The Posi-Taps give a secure connection that won't vibrate loose or pull apart, in three sizes. For more...

Tank covers.(Products)
December 1, 2004... Two Wisconsin inventors have designed an accessory to conceal and protect aboveground propane tanks. "Tank Tops" offer an alternative to the concrete, wood or metal covers some customers use, and would reduce the number of times a tank...

Gas logs.(Products)
December 1, 2004... Vanguard has a new line of vent-free gas logs to heat up to 1,200 square feet with 99.9 percent heating efficiency. The Blaze 'N' Glow line has a new technology burner system with yellow flames in propane or natural gas models. The logs,...

Gas detection system.(Products)
December 1, 2004... Sensidyne Inc.'s Model 9000 controller is designed for smaller, two-point fixed gas detection systems and can be used with any of the company's toxic and combustible gas sensors or infrared and universal transmitters. The controller...

Compact gas furnaces.(International Comfort Products Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... International Comfort Products has developed a line of competitively priced compact gas furnaces. The PS80 furnaces are 35 inches tall to fight in tight spaces. They have RPJ III aluminized steel heat exchangers, extra-spacious service...

Flame, gas detection bulletin.(Products)
December 1, 2004... MSA Instrument Division has issued a new bulletin to highlight its permanent and portable instrument offerings for the gas, oil and petrochemical markets. The full-color bulletin, called the MSA Flame and Gas Detection Bulletin for the...

Gas detector testing kit.(Products)
December 1, 2004... Crowcon Detection Instruments has designed a gas testing kit to determine whether portable gas detectors are working properly. The Wizard applies a standard four-gas mixture to the Tetra monitor to check each sensor. If the unit determines...

Inergy.(Inergy L.P.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Inergy has hired Thomas E. "Tucker" Perkins as its director of business development for the company's southeast region. Perkins has more than 20 years of experience in the propane industry, including stints at Columbia Propane Corp., where...

Control Instruments Corp.(People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Control Instruments Corp. has changed its sales management team. The manufacturer of advanced detection systems for hazardous gases and vapors has appointed Debra Woods-Haley as director of sales. She joins the company with more than 10...

CAVAGNA.(CAVAGNA North America Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... CAVAGNA North America Inc. has named David S. Ellis as its director of sales and marketing. Ellis will be responsible for directing all sales and marketing activities for the company's LPG and Industrial Gas Equipment Divisions product lines...

Empire Comfort Systems.(People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Empire Comfort Systems announces the hiring of Ken Cakebread to focus on new product development for the Empire hearth lines. Cakebread has more than 26 years of hearth product design and development experience. He previously worked as a...

Citizens Bank of Massachusetts.(People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Citizens Bank of Massachusetts announces the appointment of Matthew Ide as its vice president of Citizens' Energy Lending Unit. Ide will oversee the department that will provide a variety of financial products tailored to the heating oil and...

OSECO.(Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co. Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co. Inc. (Oseco) has appointed Ben Boh to the position of regional sales manager responsible for Asia, Canada and the West Coast. Boh, who has been with Oseco since 2000, has worked in the company's Singapore...

PERC.(Propane Education & Research Council)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Vincent Oddie, vice president of North American NGL sales and marketing for BP Products North America Inc., has been appointed to the Propane Education & Research Council. He fills the seat of BP's David Wade.

Energy Solutions.(Energy Solutions International)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Three new sales vice presidents have joined Energy Solutions International, a global supplier of oil and gas pipeline management software. Mark Courtney and Jeff Fawcett are leading the company's North American sales effort, while Paul...

Jenkins Gas.(People)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Robert Lee (Sam) Rawls, 64, president and chief operating Officer of Jenkins Gas and Oil of Pollocksville N.C., died Nov. 3. During his tenure as president of Jenkins, he oversaw the company's aggressive acquisition program, including the...

Implementing a safety and training vision.(Let's Talk)
December 1, 2004... The Propane Education & Research Council and the National Propane Gas Association have worked to develop an integrated strategy to achieve the highest levels of safety for any fuel source. This strategy establishes a vision, safety goals and...

On the forecast.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... Your September View Point column, A Gloomy Forecast, was more doom and gloom than we optimists prefer. It struck a nerve. The retail propane business, like most other businesses, is becoming more and more complex. Not the delivery of...

Gas pains.(Let's Talk)
December 1, 2004... WE'RE PROS, AND WE KNOW PAIN IN SO, WHEN DO WE START? ISN'T THIS HOCKEY STRIKE OVER YET? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]