Availability of Canadian imports to meet U.S. demand for ethane, propane and butane
- Purvin and Gertz, Inc., Calgary, Alberta (Canada)
Historically, Canada has had a surplus of ethane, propane and butane. Almost all of the available propane and butane in Canadian natural gas streams is recovered. While there is significant ethane recovery in Canada, ethane that cannot be economically sold is left in the gas streams. All of the surplus Canadian ethane and most of the Canadian surplus propane and butane is exported to the US. Some volumes of Canadian propane and butane have been moved offshore by marine exports to the Asia-Pacific region or South America, or directly to Mexico by rail. Essentially all of the Canadian ethane, 86% of the propane and 74% of the butane are recovered by gas processing. Canadian natural gas production has increased significantly over the last 10 years. Canadian gas resources in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin should permit further expansion of gas exports, and several gas pipeline projects are pending to expand the markets for Canadian gas in the US. The prospective increase in Canadian gas production will yield higher volumes of ethane, propane and butane. While there is a potential to expand domestic markets for ethane, propane and butane, a significant part of the incremental production will move to export markets. This paper provides a forecast of the expected level of ethane, propane and butane exports from Canada and discusses the supply, demand and logistical developments which may affect export availability from Canada.
- OSTI ID:
- 418212
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960348-; TRN: 97:002021
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 75. Annual convention of the Gas Processors Association, Denver, CO (United States), 11-13 Mar 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Seventy-fifth Gas Processors Association annual convention: Proceedings; PB: 325 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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