What is LPG? Liquefied Petroleum Gas

LPG – Liquefied Petroleum Gas – describes flammable hydrocarbon gases including propane, butane and mixtures of these colourless, low carbon gaseous fuels.

LPG, liquefied through pressurisation, comes from natural gas processing and oil refining. Processed LPG is used as fuel for heating, cooking, hot water, and autogas.

In different countries, the LPG heating gases supplied can be propane, butane or propane-butane blends. 

In Australia, LPG is just propane.  Propane is LPG but not all LPG is propane.

LPG in a bobtail tanker truck

What is LPG - Summary:

1.     LPG (or LP Gas) is the acronym for Liquefied Petroleum Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas.

2.     LPG is a group of flammable hydrocarbon gases that are liquefied through pressurisation and commonly used as fuel.

3.     LPG comes from natural gas processing and petroleum refining.

4.     There are a number of gases that fall under the “LPG” label, including propane, butane (n-butane) and isobutane (i-butane), as well as mixtures of these gases.

5.     LPG gases can all be compressed into liquid at relatively low pressures.

6.     LPG is frequently used for fuel in heating, cooking, hot water and vehicles, as well as for refrigerants, aerosol propellants and petrochemical feedstock.

7.     LPG is generally stored, as a liquid, in steel vessels ranging from small BBQ gas bottles to larger gas cylinders and LPG storage tanks.

LPG Attributes Chart - Table

LPG Attributes Table

LPG Attributes

Propane

Butane

Chemical Formula

C3H8

C4H10

Energy Content: MJ/m3

95.8

111.4

Energy Content: MJ/kg

49.58

47.39

Energy Content: MJ/L

25.3

27.5

Boiling Temp: Cº

-42

-0.4

Pressure @ 21ºC: kPa

858.7

215.1

Flame Temp: Cº

1967

1970

Expansion: m3/L

0.270

0.235

Gas Volume: m3/kg

0.540

0.405

Relative Density: H2O

0.51

0.58

Relative Density: air

1.53

2.00

L per kg

1.96

1.724

kg per L

0.51

0.58

Specific Gravity @ 25ºC

1.55

2.07

Density @ 15ºC: kg/m3

1.899

2.544

 

 

LPG Full Form - LPG Meaning - What Does LPG Stand For?

LPG stands for the acronym abbreviation for either Liquefied Petroleum Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas. LPG means the flammable hydrocarbon gases propane, butane and isobutane, used for heating, cooking, hot water and vehicle fuel. LPG goes by many names but they all mean the same gases - propane and butane - and this can sometimes be confusing. It is also called LPG Gas, LP Gas, Propane, BBQ Gas, Camping Gas or Autogas.

Where Does LPG Come From?

Ø  LPG comes from drilling oil and gas wells.

Ø  It is a fossil fuel that does not occur in isolation.

Ø  LPG is found naturally in combination with other hydrocarbons, typically crude oil and natural gas.

Ø  LPG is produced during natural gas processing and oil refining.

Ø  It is isolated, liquefied through pressurisation and stored in pressure vessels.

How is LPG Stored?

LPG storage spheres - Horton Spheres

Ø  LPG is stored in pressure vessels.

Ø  As such, it is almost always stored in its liquid form.

Ø  These can range from small camping cannisters to BBQ gas bottles to larger gas cylinders and much larger LPG tanks or bullets.

Ø  LPG storage depots may consist of very large storage spheres, known as Horton Spheres (see accompanying image).

Ø  LPG can also be stored underground in specially built or prepared caverns.

LPG & Natural Gas Liquids – NGLs

Ø  The typical LPG heating gases – propane and butane – are regarded as Natural Gas Liquids - NGLs.

Ø  However, not all NGLs are LPG.

Ø  Natural gas liquids, also called Condensate, include other hydrocarbons, too.

Ø  Interestingly, LNG – liquefied natural gas – is NOT a natural gas liquid.

What are Natural Gas Liquids - NGLs?

Ø  Raw natural gas, as it comes out of the ground, contains a number of gases and compounds, as well as impurities.

Ø  However, it is predominantly methane (CH4) gas, which is more commonly known as natural gas.

Ø  The raw natural gas must be processed to obtain pipeline quality clean, dry natural gas (methane), including the removal of impurities.

Ø  NGLs – Natural Gas Liquids – or condensate are the heavier hydrocarbons that remain after the methane (natural gas) and impurities are removed.

Ø  NGLs include isobutane, ethane, ethene, propene, isobutene, butadiene, pentane, pentene and pentanes plus, as well as propane and butane.

Ø  Natural gas liquids (NGL) range from 1% to 10% of the raw natural gas flow.