---
title: What is propane gas?
description: What is propane gas? You may have heard about the term LPG or liquified petroleum gas. In this blog we look at what propane is and bit of its history.
---

[Blog](https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/blog)

# [What is propane gas?](https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/blog/what-is-propane-gas)

 Written by [James Callow](https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/blog/author/james-callow) | Aug 31, 2022 10:00:00 PM

Today, let's look at what propane is and a bit of history about this important source of energy. 

"Propane is an efficient and portable fuel composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms – chemical symbol C3H8 – that is a derivative of natural gas processing and oil refining." \[source: [CPA](https://propane.ca/)\]

Propane is often referred to as LPG or liquified petroleum gas. It is a gas that is compressed and stored as a liquid. Propane is nontoxic, colourless and virtually odourless - so an identifying odour is added in so that it can be easily detected.

Did you know that propane produces 43% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than using an equivalent amount of electricity generated from the grid?

"Recognized for its low environmental impact by Canada’s Alternative Fuels Act, **propane is one of the cleanest and most versatile fuels in existence.** **Propane’s greenhouse gas (GHG) and particulate emissions are significantly lower than most other carbon-based fuels**, such as gasoline, diesel and heating oil." \[source: [CPA](https://propane.ca/)\]

Propane is commonly used for space heating, cooking and water heating in residential homes and businesses, but it is also used as a fuel for vehicles such as forklifts, small trucks, and buses. In commercial use, such as agriculture, propane is used for back-up power, industrial driers and greenhouse heating.

Here's an excerpt from the [Canadian Propane Association's website](https://propane.ca) describing some of the landmarks in propane history.

Since its first utilization in the early 1900s, the application of propane has continued to grow across Canada and around the world.

- 1911 – U.S. Bureau of Mines discovers a way to condense, capture and store propane, butane and other hydrocarbons, which were previously wasted when they evaporated from gasoline.
- 1927 – The first known use of propane in Canada; Dominion Oxygen Gas of Toronto imports 100lb cylinders by rail from West Virginia.
- 1934 – A propane odourant is created in order to make the detection of leaks easier.
- 1934 – Imperial Oil develops the first refinery to produce propane on a commercial scale in Montreal, Canada.
- 1949 – A branch of the US-based LP Gas Association is founded in Canada.
- 1950s – Propane distribution reaches across Canada, and many regional propane retailers get their start.
- 1960s – Canadian industry pioneers, including Dome Petroleum, Amoco, Imperial Oil and British American, build and operate fractionation plants in Alberta.
- 1970 – The Sarnia propane storage and fractionation plant comes online, receives natural gas liquids from the Interprovincial Pipeline and becomes a hub for the eastern Canadian propane industry.
- 1970s & 80s – Strong growth in the use of propane as an automotive fuel, spurred by the oil crisis.
- 2000s – Shale gas production greatly increases the North American supply of propane.
- 2011 – Canadian Propane Association launched after the Propane Gas Association of Canada (PGAC) and Ontario Propane Association (OPA) unite.

Budget Propane is a local propane company, family owned for generations, that is focused on providing friendly and reliable service throughout central Ontario. Get in touch with us today for a [no-obligation quote](https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/request-a-residential-propane-quote).

[View full post](https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/blog/what-is-propane-gas)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "James Callow"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T12:25:17.073Z",
  "datePublished" : "2022-08-31T22:00:00Z",
  "headline" : "What is propane gas?",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 600,
    "url" : "https://141862690.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/141862690/Imported_Blog_Media/What%20is%20propane.png",
    "width" : 1200
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://hubspot.oktodigital.com/blog/what-is-propane-gas",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Blog"
  }
}
```