Global events have driven the price of diesel higher. (Photo: ronniechua/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

How to use swaps as price protection

August 4, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal details the process of using swaps as price protection when buying propane.

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This article is tagged with Conway, Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, Mont Belvieu, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog

Chart 1: Total U.S. propane/propylene inventory

Patience is paying off in propane price protection

July 22, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal stresses the importance of not locking in price protection above the 10-year average price.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Mark Rachal, propane inventories, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: Crude price and active U.S. oil rigs

Understanding recent crude fundamentals changes

July 14, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal looks at crude fundamentals and their importance to propane buyers.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude, crude oil, Mark Rachal, propane traders, Trader's Corner, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: U.S. weekly crude production estimate

Crude inventories down as refineries roar

June 17, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal tries to figure out what the deal is with crude inventories.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude, crude inventory, crude production, propane traders, Trader's Corner, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: Total U.S. propane/propylene inventory

Propane inventories helped, not fixed

June 9, 2025 By Mark Rachal

This week, Mark Rachal reports on the state of U.S. propane inventories.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Gulf Coast, Gulf Coast propane inventory, Mark Rachal, Midwest, propane inventories, propane traders, Trader's Corner, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: Belvieu price averages

The highs and lows of price protection

May 27, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal examines price parameters to better understand the risks and advantages of price protection.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Mark Rachal, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 1: U.S. propane/propylene demand

Dealing with propane demand volatility

May 20, 2025 By Mark Rachal

This week, Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, examines the volatility in U.S. propane demand.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Mark Rachal, propane demand, propane exports, propane imports, propane production, propane traders, tariffs, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Chart 3: Crude Oil - WTI

Contangoed vs. backwardated crude price curves and propane prices

May 13, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal looks at the impact of crude forward price curves on propane prices.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, crude prices, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

Propane marketers can reassess and repurpose tank assets that are already in the field to avoid buying new tanks at relatively high prices. (Photo by LP Gas staff)

Trading versus hedging in propane futures

April 15, 2025 By Mark Rachal

Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, explains key concepts in propane futures.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, financial hedging, Mark Rachal, propane traders, Trader's Corner and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured

$Chart 1: Fractionated vs non-fractionated propane inventories$

Ready-for-sale propane data making an impact

March 25, 2025 By Mark Rachal

This week, Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, revisits the ready-for-sale propane data point.

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This article is tagged with Cost Management Solutions, Mark Rachal, propane demand, propane inventories, propane prices, propane traders, Trader's Corner, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and posted in Blue Flame Blog, Featured