Propane Propane is a gas that comes from oil and natural gas

What is propane? Propane is an energy- rich gas, C 3 H 8. It is one of the liquefied petroleum gases that are found mixed with natural gas and oil.

Propane naturally occurs as a gas. What is propane? However, at higher pressure or lower temperatures, it becomes a liquid.

Liquid propane is 270 times more compact than gas propane. What is propane? This means that it takes 270 gallons of gas propane to equal just one gallon of liquid propane!

Liquid propane becomes a gas again when a valve is opened to release it from its pressurized container. When returned to normal pressure, liquid propane becomes a gas so that we can use it!

It was formed millions of years ago, before the dinosaurs. Like oil and gas, it was formed from tiny sea animals and plants. The plants got their energy from the sun. Propane’s energy came from the sun. Propane is a fossil fuel.

Where do we find propane? Propane is buried underground mixed with natural gas or petroleum. Our supply of propane depends on our supply of those energy sources.

Where do we find propane?

How do we use propane? Half of the farms in the United States use propane to dry crops, run tractors, and heat barns. Most vehicles that we drive inside buildings use propane for fuel. Propane is the gas we use to fuel our backyard grills.

How do we use propane?

 This chart shows propane consumption in the United States.  51% is used in chemical and industrial plants.  36% is used in residential homes and commercial businesses.

Some people in the country can’t get natural gas pipelines to their homes. They use propane instead. They put big propane tanks outside their houses. Small trucks bring the propane right to their houses!

Propane is portable.  Liquid propane is easy to move from place to place in tanks.  It is portable- that means easy to move.

Propane is non-renewable. The propane we burn today was made a long time ago. It took millions of years to form. We can’t make more propane in a short time.

It doesn’t pollute the air like gasoline does. Propane is a clean fuel.

So why don’t we use more propane? Engines must be changed to use propane. Changing them is expensive. There aren’t many filling stations, either!

Discussion Question Do you think it would be better if every automobile was converted from gasoline to propane? Why or why not?