Winter Tips for Your Propane Business

By Kimberly Scheberle

February 2021 will go down in the collective Texas memory as one for the books. And not in a good way.

Three successive winter storms resulted in a massive electricity generation failure and shortages of water, food, and heat. More than 4.5 million homes and businesses were left in the dark, many for more days than is survivable. Ice and snow blanketed almost the entire state. Ambient temperatures stayed below zero for days on end. These conditions are not unusual for places like North Dakota or Alaska, but for Texas, they were a stout challenge.

While bringing up last year’s winter disaster might trigger some PTSD, its memory might be more useful as a cautionary tale.

If February of last year was to repeat itself, are you ready?

The time to winterize your business is not in January. It’s now. Before cold weather hits. Here are some things to work through before the winter kicks off.

Your Supply

Lon Holloway, a longtime propane industry member, currently with Northwest Propane, says there’s no excuse these days for marketers not to know when poor weather is arriving.

“You’ve got to watch the weather and know what’s coming,” Holloway said. “It’s practically impossible not to know what the weather is doing in your area with all the options out there.”

In addition to informing deliveries as a storm system comes in, marketers should be keeping a longer outlook on their supply. For instance, Holloway said, if he must send a truck down to Mont Belvieu to pick up a load rather than the closer Ardmore, Oklahoma, he has to be thoughtful about DOT hours of service limitations for drivers and how many loads they get back to home base.

“A retailer shouldn’t be waiting until the weather gets bad to have propane on hand,” he said.

“Also, a dealer in today’s market has to really stop and look at their storage,” he added. “Do they have enough storage to store the amount of propane they will need to service their clients through a big event?”

“When you look at what weather does to logistics, you have to take that into consideration,” Holloway said.

Use of Methanol in Propane

The presence of water in propane can interfere with usage, particularly when ambient temperatures fall to below freezing. As the temperature of the fuel approaches freezing temperatures, water can come out of the solution, forming a separate layer in the tank that can freeze. This can also lead to potential ice formation in valves and regulators. Moisture can still present problems in regulators without it being extremely low subzero temperatures.

The addition of methanol to propane can reduce and even eliminate freezing problems. Methanol, a simple alcohol, prevents whatever water may be present from freezing. While the use of methanol may not affect the burners used by most residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural customers, excessive amounts have the potential to cause operational problems with some newer applications that are more sensitive to fuel composition.

Excessive methanol use has the potential to cause problems with engine collaboration when propane is used as a fuel for internal combustion engines, resulting in increased emissions. Moreover, if there is enough water and methanol in the propane, a separate and often corrosive water-methanol layer may form at the bottom of fuel storage tanks.

The practice of adding methanol as an antifreeze has been in

Guide for Use of Methanol in Propane

Methanol is an alcohol that is sometimes added to propane to help prevent freezing of valves and regulators. Treatment with methanol is indicated if these conditions apply:

1

And Fuel Conditions

• Water content analysis shows the fuel has high water content.* • The fuel fails the valve freeze test. • Fuel from this supplier has a history of freezing problems. • Presence of water bottoms in transport or storage tanks is known. * Contents greater than 35 to 50 mass ppm are considered high.

2

Or

3

Ambient Conditions

No Fuel- Related Issues, But

• Ambient temperatures below 35 F (1.7 C) are expected.

• Very cold temperatures (lower than –20 F [–30 C] 3are expected. • A large drop in ambient temperature is expected.

! Treatment with methanol is not indicated if these conditions apply:

• The fuel is known to have been treated with methanol already. • Ambient temperatures are not expected to be below 40 F (5 C)

Precautions for Handling and Using Methanol

Methanol is flammable and the vapors are toxic. In addition, methanol can be absorbed through the skin. When handling methanol, always use gloves rated for use with methanol, preferably butyl rubber gloves. Consult the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure the gloves are suitable for work with methanol. Check the manufacturer’s SDS and Page 11 Safety Talk for further safety information. Unnecessary or excessive treatment with methanol is to be avoided. Excessive treatment can affect hoses, seals, gaskets, and other rubber/plastic components, and there may be issues of internal tank corrosion. Methanol is very hygroscopic, which means it readily absorbs moisture from the air. In order to avoid adding water with the methanol, always purchase anhydrous (dry) methanol, and keep methanol containers closed to seal out air.

Documentation

If you add methanol to propane but are not the final fuel retailer, be sure to document the presence of methanol and the treatment rate on the invoice, bill of lading, or other documents that describe the fuel. Check the invoice or bill of lading to determine whether propane you receive has methanol added. This can help avoid “double dosing.” The base treatment rate is 600 mass ppm of methanol. The equivalent rate using other units of measure are: • 3 pints per 1000 gal propane • 2.5 lb methanol per 1000 gal • 0.6 lb methanol per 1000 lb propane • 0.5 kg methanol per 1000 liters propane • 0.6 liters methanol per 1000 liters propane • 0.6 kg methanol per 1000 kg propane Guidelines developed by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Rates for Typical Tank Size

Tank Methanol to be Added Size Liquid Liquid (gal) Oz Pints Pounds 250 12 3/4 0.63 500 24 11/2 1.25 1,000 49 3 2.5

place for a long time in cold climates, as well as for some in Texas.

Companies like Douglass Distributing in North Texas states: “All new and re-valved tanks get methanol prior to propane. Methanol is injected into storage in the fall. There’s a second round of methanol when trucks are hydro tested. We fill the truck and then pump it back into the storage tank, so no residential tanks or cylinders get a large quantity of methanol/water from hydro.”

Texas propane retailers that have a history of freeze ups or know they get a lot of water in their propane may consider methanol use.

Doyle Fevig is a propane marketer who has experience in both the northern climate and now Texas. His first propane retail shop (Fevig Oil & Propane) services Minnesota and North Dakota. His more recent retail establishment (Legacy Propane LLC) is based out of Comfort, Texas. Fevig’s Minnesota company always uses methanol, year-round.

“We add one gallon of methanol for every semi-load,” he said, regardless of the season, since what you distribute in September might not be used until November or December.

After being in Texas last February, would Fevig be adding methanol to his Texas loads? “Frankly, I don’t know yet. I’m still thinking about it,” he said. “I’ll have to get back to you.”

More Lessons from the North

Lyndon Rickards, who spent 35 years working a for two family owned propane companies in New England, before becoming the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)’s Director of Safety & Compliance, has seen his fair share of winter weather and has few tidbits to share: 1.) Use recommended amount of methanol if you are aware that you receive some moisture content in your propane deliveries. 2.) Use recommended amount of methanol if you have been experiencing freeze ups at regulators the previous year. 3.) Instruct service technicians and tank installers to properly position the regulator at the customer storage tank so that the tank pressure piping (commonly the pigtail) will allow any condensation (liquid propane) to drain back into the storage container as code requires. Any liquid propane in the pigtail may cause any amount of moisture in the propane to instantly freeze as the system flow propane. When the liquid drains back into the container, the vapor will flow through the regulator without freezing even if there’s a minimum amount present. Remember, with liquid in the pigtail as the system draws propane the liquid will begin to boil off and the boiling point is -44 degrees F. causing any moisture to freeze generally at the regulator orifice.

Fevig, who has experience in Minnesota, where the winters are more severe and longer, went through his list of things he felt was important when you are preparing for winter.

“First, make sure your truck is serviced well,” he said. This includes being pro-active on identifying and fixing issues before your drivers end up stranded. He specifically mentioned that you need to be checking your tires, your spark plugs and your antifreeze.

Additional, in Minnesota if a vehicle utilizes air brakes, they do not set them up at night during the winter months. “They’ll freeze,” he said.

In Minnesota, it is normal practice to plug your vehicle in overnight using a head bolt heater, so checking out that system early in the season is important. “Probably not something you have to think about much unless you have trucks that travel to colder climates.”

Fevig also said it’s important to clear snow off your tanks and away from your second stage regulator. “I hear people talk about the insulating properties of snow but getting the sunlight on the tank is much more important,” he said.

“Both frost and ice act as insulators that reduce the ability of the container to absorb heat,” according to NFPA 58.

A tool used up north, but seldom seen in Texas, is a tank heater also known as a belly warmer. Tank heaters are especially useful in cold climates where propane tank pressure is significantly lower. Propane tank heaters operate based on tank pressure. The tank heater/belly warmer utilizes an adjustable operating pressure switch with about a range of 55 psi − 100 psi. When the pressure in the storage tank falls below the operating switch set point, the heater will cycle on, providing heat (energy) into the liquid stored in the tank. When the pressure requirement is satisfied, the tank heater reverts to a standby mode.

Holloway says he’s never seen a tank heater/belly warmer used in the state, more often seeing a related (but not the same) vaporizer. “Vaporizers are more often used in large commercial applications,” he said, adding they are important in providing continuous and reliable power when conditions could limit vapor output. According to NPFA 58, a vaporizer is designed to boil the LP-Gas liquid and transfers heat from an external source to liquid propane as it passes through. Boiling the liquid separate from the container allows the storage container to maintain better pressure while a tank heater will provide direct heat to the walls of the tank itself. More extensive information about vaporizers and tank heaters can be found in section 5.24 of the 2017 NFPA 58 Managers Edition.

Tankless Water Heaters

One of more profound lessons to come from the February 2021 storms was that even if a tankless water heater is supplied by propane (or natural gas), some of its functionality is provided by electricity. Many homeowners had issues with their tankless heaters freezing up, and subsequently bursting, during the weather event. Lon Holloway with Northwest Propane explained that consumers can purchase a frost proof protection kit for their tankless water heaters when they are installed; however, many Texans forego that cost addition because of our mild climate. “But even then, the protection is run on electricity,” he said. “So, if the electricity is off, the consumer will have to manually drain the water and turn off the gas.” This is an education piece that marketers should be having an ongoing dialog with their customers about. Most tankless heater manufacturers will issue occasional bulletins about how to properly winterize their water heaters. Marketers can distribute this information periodically, and especially as freezing weather approaches, to encourage their customers to avoid the kinds of disasters we saw in February 2021. Additionally, if a customer has a backup propane generator, it would be important to keep the electrical circuit that powers the tankless heater on that grid. “If you see weather coming, it’s a good time to remind your customers how their heaters work and how to protect them in case of an electrical outage,” Holloway said.

Employee Safety

In a 2021 article, the Iowa Propane Gas Association, whose Midwest marketers have seen their fair share of winters, had these tips for employee safety.

Ensure employees understand safety steps.

• To prevent slips, trips, and falls, employers should clear walking surfaces of snow and ice and spread deicer as quickly as possible after winter storms. • If walking on snow or ice is unavoidable, wear proper footwear. A pair of insulated and water-resistant boots with good rubber treads is a must for walking during and after a winter storm. • Personal protection equipment (PPE) should be readily available for the types of weather conditions workers will face. Consider shoe/boot snow guards, traction cleats or ice crampons that would help prevent slips on snow and ice. In PERC’s Propane Personal Safety Techniques for Injury Prevention in the Propane Industry, PERC mentions you can also wear ice cleats. They easily stretch to fit over your shoes or boots and give you more traction on the ice and snow. • When walking on icy or snow-covered walkways take short steps and walk at a slower pace so you can react quickly to change in traction.

Have a weather policy and list in place.

For example, employees advice on various issues and warnings. • Don’t come in/ Stay home • Don’t leave plant/No driving • Get off the roads

Return to plant • List of towing/wrecker services in your service area • Get road condition reports from TXDOT at https://drivetexas.org/

Your Fleet and Pandemic Problems

Regular maintenance on your vehicles is important no matter the season (see sidebar for some specific reminders). If you make your living getting product to customer homes, then you know having a delivery truck out of commission is costly to the bottom line. But during the winter, when your clients depend upon propane for their heating needs, their reliability is even more vital.

“The time to do your maintenance and replace things is now,” Doyle Fevig with Fevig Oil & Propane and Legacy Propane LLC said, pointing out that many items, like tires and windshields, are harder to come by.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the world supply chain, slowing down the distribution of everything from computer chips to paper.

Computer chips for cars has drawn a lot of attention, but they are far from the only thing having delivery trouble. For instance, early on in the pandemic rubber plants in Malaysia and Thailand were shuttered. This was followed by a leaf disease that harmed many trees in those same regions, important as the raw ingredient for tires.

More recent issues for tire and other rubber products have included transportation and logistics bottlenecks.

“If you are looking for new tires, the wait might not be one week, but rather one month,” Fevig said. “Same goes for other products like windshields.” Fevig suggested taking care of small dings in windshields now, so they don’t turn into to larger cracks later. If you need to replace an entire windshield, you might find yourself waiting.

Fleet Maintenance Reminders

Windshield wipers. In Texas, it’s easy to forget about the importance of windshield wipers. But in inclement winter weather, your drivers will need them. Check them early and often. Windshield. Heat causes glass to expand, while the cold causes it to contract. But even a warm vent directed toward a cold windshield can cause a small ding to spread. Take the time to patch all the windshields in your fleet to try to stave off the need to replace them over the winter months.

Battery. Batteries are susceptible to draining quickly in colder weather and are more difficult to recharge while on the road. Additionally, the Texas summers take a toll on batteries. Ensure you replace them before it’s too late. Keep the contacts free of corrosion with a terminal cleaner.

Spark plugs. Ensuring your spark plugs operate normally is crucial to being able to start your vehicle and help with fuel economy. Extreme weather temperatures can negatively impact the reliance of your spark plugs so it’s a good idea to check to make sure there is no deposit build-up and replace if they are malfunctioning. Brakes. Brakes often feel different in the winter and tend to accumulate more wear and tear due to rough road conditions. Thin material in brake pads can crack in colder temperatures. You can also check the air dryer and its filter to ensure that it’s in proper condition to prevent any freeze in your brake lines that could become hazardous on the road.

Gas. If you use gasoline in your fleet, keep the tank filled above half full to reduce water vapor collecting in your tank. Antifreeze. Make sure to check your anti-freeze before you hit low temperatures. It might have been topped off with water in the warmer summer months. You’ll need to verify the integrity of your antifreeze. Tires. There are few things as dangerous as losing tire pressure or altering tread ahead of driving on icy roads. Keeping tire pressure in check and rotating tires as needed is a great way to ensure the safety of your fleet’s tires. Tire chains: Know the legal use of tire chains/snow tires. Texas law states: A tire used on a moving vehicle may not have on its periphery a block, stud, flange, cleat, or spike or other protuberance of a material other than rubber that projects beyond the tread of the traction surface, unless the protuberance: (1) does not injure the highway; or (2) is a tire chain of reasonable proportion that is used as required for safety because of a condition that might cause the vehicle to skid.

The Time is Now

In year’s past, Texans might have slow rolled into the winter months without feeling much urgency about “getting ready for winter.” For the most past, Texas “winter” has mostly meant bringing sensitive plants inside and covering outside faucet spigots.

But last year was quite the wake-up call. While we don’t know how this winter and future winters play out, being prepared can only be a good thing. Inventory your winter business needs, pack emergency kits for your drivers, keep an eye on the weather and let’s hope last year doesn’t ever repeat itself.