2020 has been a strange and difficult time for the natural gas and oil industries. From production site shutdowns to roller coaster prices, stability is something that all natural gas production facilities look forward to, and the answers could actually be just around the corner with fall in full swing.

Here’s a look at some of the issues that have hit the natural gas industry this year and how the fall season can potentially decrease the stress that currently weighs on the natural gas production companies.

2020 Brings Higher Volume With Even Higher Difficulties

According to a report from Deloitte, US liquid natural gas (LNG) export growth has been on a steady increase since 2016. So much so, that in 2019, our national export growth exceeded 5 billion cubic feet per day.

While so much growth isn’t necessarily a negative event, the issue of failing gas prices has severely impacted how local exporters can manage their sites. In fact, higher volume with lower prices makes it difficult for local facilities to move forward on any newer projects.

How can the Fall Season Pick Up the Natural Gas Industry?

Fortunately, this fall brings us some light at the end of the tunnel. With cooler weather abound and travel restrictions beginning to lift in the United States, there is ample opportunity for the industry to push forward and continue replenishing their NGL storage units while making a profit off of local and international consumers. 

Power Generation

Natural gas is an essential material for power plants that generate electricity for the masses. When natural gas is burned, it creates steam or can power up turbines with lower emissions overall. 

Since prices are relatively low at this point in time, natural gas as a means of energy production makes it a top competitor in the commercial and residential markets. Increased consumption and purchasing of natural gas during the cooler months of the year can have a positive impact on the industry as long as production and overall costs continuously increase.

Residential and Commercial Demand

As we’ve mentioned, the weather is getting cooler and consumers are going to start actively seeking out ways to heat the home and workplace. We predict that this could produce a boost for the natural gas industry, but the numbers all rely on elements outside of our control like:

• The weather
• Population growth
• The energy efficiency of households and commercial users

Although the past has shown that residential consumers tend to follow regular patterns and don’t contribute to much growth, commercial powerhouses like pipelines and plant fuel consumption can help make up the difference and push for growth.

Keep Track of the Natural Gas Industry With Pro-Gas, LLC

If you’re a facility manager who’s used our products before at a site, or just someone who is interested in the progression of the natural gas industry, Pro-Gas, LLC is here to provide you with the latest updates.

We are a dedicated oil and gas equipment company that specializes in providing top-tier equipment as well as updating our readers on the state of our industry. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

The myth that the oil and gas industry is just an industry with generic facilities that provide materials to consumers across the nation. This just isn’t true we are actually made of several specific facilities that make the total of our industry run as smoothly as the oil we provide to the public.

Here’s a look at some of the most important types of facilities throughout the oil and gas industry, how they function, and how we promote best practices through our top-quality equipment.

Well Sites

Well sites are where oil and natural gas are drilled and mined. Keep in mind that each facility isn’t a single well site. A facility can be considered one that has many different well sites spread across its property, based on federal and state regulations.

Aside from farming natural materials, these sites regularly implement equipment from businesses like ours. Equipment such as NGL storage, gas coolers, and Fuel Genies are typical pieces of equipment that help keep the process between farming and distribution a smooth one.

Central Tank Distribution Points

These facilities are also known as central tank batteries. These are the facilities that actually receive the raw materials that are farmed from well sites. Through designated pipelines, crude oil, produced water, and condensate are captured and stored in storage tanks before moving onto the next step of the production process.

Gathering Compression Stations

Gathering compression stations are similar to central tank distribution points, only they receive natural gas through their pipelines. Once a set amount of natural gas is collected at the site, the gas is then compressed and sent back along down the pipeline to a natural gas plant for further distribution.

NG Plants

Natural gas liquids (NGLs) make their way to extraction plants. At these plants, NGLs are put through a cryogenic process that essentially compresses and condenses them for separation from the residue gas that isn’t useful to a consumer’s livelihood. Once the essential NGLs are removed at these facilities, the part from residue gas through separate pipelines towards their final destinations.

Pipeline Breakout Facilities

Sometimes there may be so much oil coming down the pipeline that a breakout facility is necessary to even the flow of materials. These facilities are located along pipelines and use storage containers to hold and save crude oil for later transportation along the pipeline. Surges can become a hazardous issue in our industry, and breakout tanks help safely transport oil to plants and finally, users like you.

Pro-Gas, LLC Provide Top-Quality Equipment to Facilities Throughout Our Industry

These are just a taste of the different types of locations that are integral to our industry. However, no matter the type of facility, Pro-Gas, LLC is prepared to offer the finest in oil and gas equipment to teams and businesses across the nation. Contact us today to learn more about our services and current line of oil and gas production products.

Oil spills are one of the biggest stains that mark the public’s view of the oil and gas industry. Even as strong proponents of the industry, we agree that these unfortunate accidents cause a multitude of environmental problems that include excessive damage to natural resources and the death of animals in their wake.

In an effort to further push the green practices that oil and gas has recently promoted, we’d like to discuss some of the ways that facilities and drill sites around the nation are enforcing preventative measures for oil spills.

Enforced Training Programs

The source of enforcing spill prevention starts with the training of facility and site staff. Many oil companies now require training that involves specific emergency response procedures. When a spill occurs, action to control it needs to be taken fast. 

Oil producers understand the need for swift action and cover several emergency procedures during safety training, such as:

• General spill prevention
• Immediate spill control
• Facility response plans

The industry has also created separate entities with the sole purpose of providing information and assistance with safety training. One of the biggest institutions that promotes safety is the Center for Offshore Safety (COS) this institution serves as a powerful link between facility shareholders and the promotion of safety regulation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Through partners like the COS and other efforts, our industry can consistently take strides towards effective spill prevention.

Improved Leak Detection Technology

Gas leaks aren’t just deadly for the environment, but they are deadly for the workers in constant contact with the affected areas. The scariest part about the issue is that when a leak sprouts, it’s usually discovered by the time damage has already been done.

Many production sites around the nation have begun to install methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide sensors throughout their facilities. With these types of sensors in place, it becomes easier to detect the source of a leak before it becomes a deadly situation.

Spill Reduction Goals Throughout the Industry as a Whole

Finally, more and more production companies are starting to set safety standards and goals that directly coincide with what the EPA and other institutions want regarding spills and leaks. With these plans in place and at the forefront of facility manager and employee’s minds, we believe that deadly accidents that stem from offshore and onshore drill sites can one day become an occurrence of the past.

Improve Prevention Efficiency at Your Sites With Pro-Gas Equipment

When your facility or drill site has to focus on operations as well as how to operate safely, you need equipment you can count on. At Pro-Gas, LLC we provide essential, quality equipment to the oil and gas industry that helps lighten the load of many production sites. 

We handle large production equipment like the Fuel-Genie, as well as essential storage products like NGL storage skids. No matter your equipment needs, we are prepared to help. Contact us today to learn more about our current products.

We’ve discussed some of the major myths that surround oil in general, but we didn’t dive into how specific the rumors surrounding our industry get. Although it’s important to focus on dispelling the big rumors like clean technology being the end of big oil, we thought the world could use a more entertaining look at some of the myths out there.

Here are 4 more of the strangest rumors that big oil just can’t seem to shake off as the years flow down the pipeline.

Fossil Fuels Are Really Made From Fossils

As exciting as it may be to think that your vehicle runs off the power of dinosaurs and other ancient beings, it’s all a myth. Fossil fuels really aren’t farmed directly from fossils themselves.

Yes, oil is an ancient material that is formed from organic matter like plankton and algae. Yet, the truth is that even if dinosaurs all contributed to the oil that offshore and onshore drill sites extract, they’d only produce a minimal amount of oil.

Thanks to the actual organisms that contribute to fossil fuel production, we are able to mine the millions of barrels necessary per day to keep the industry thriving.

The U.S. was the First Nation to Host a Commercial Well

While we love to be the first in any scene, the United States did not create the first commercial well. Wells in Eastern Europe pre-dated our 1859 well by three years!

Oil is Only One Color

Most media would lead you to believe that all oil is black. Actually, oil can come in a multitude of colors like:

• Red
• Amber
• Green

Site and facility operators use the color of crude oil as one of the key indicators of the material’s quality. Essentially, the darker the oil is, the more contaminants are in the product. Although we use oil for several purposes regardless of its quality, the highest-quality oil based on color alone would have a color that resembles store-bought olive oil.

America is the Number 1 Oil User

While our drill sites make us one of leading producers of oil, the fact of the matter is that we aren’t the number one oil user in the world; at least when you examine the figures at the per-capita level.

Based on a per-capita basis, the United States ranks number 22 on the list, with the lead user being Gibraltar.

Experience Legendary Industry Equipment With Pro-Gas, LLC

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we are used to drill sites and facilities touting our equipment as the best in the business. While our reputation may seem mythical, we are genuinely dedicated to providing the best in oil and gas products to our clients.

Contact us today to learn more about our current product lines and how we can help make your site the best it can be.

Since the birth of our industry in 347 AD, it’s safe to say that oil and gas has seen its fair share of changes to our practices. From the birth of offshore oil rigs to creating more environmentally-friendly sites, technology has always been part of our progress.

Although as of late, the industry has seen a slump in progress due to a complicated political climate, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s glowing in pure LED form.

We focus on site-based equipment like NGL storage and gas coolers. However, we still see the importance of the digital impact in our line of work.

Here’s a look at how mobile technology is pushing our practices to new heights in 2020 and beyond.

Real-Time Data Optimizes Production

Understanding which well sites require more attention for higher production used to be a grueling task that resulted in overall reduced productivity. Mobile devices now connect industry operators directly to oilfield sensor networks that provide this essential data in real-time. This puts the focus on more production and less guess-work during the lifecycle of a drilling project.

Minimized Offshore Rig Downtime

Offshore rigs are a massive contributor to the success of the oil and gas industry. However, the unpredictable conditions that these rigs face have been devastating in the past. Before mobile technology, when malfunctions occurred, the whole productivity of the offshore site tanked.

With the power of mobile solutions, this economically deadly downtime can be avoided. Some of the ways that mobile devices keep offshore rigs working around the clock include:

• Improved business communications
• The ability to monitor a site’s operations from anywhere
• Making operational improvement instantaneous

Faster Site Validation

Our industry has so many great minds in it, yet, collaboration has been stunted by old processes that moved information at a snail’s pace. Mobile devices have quickly become the catalyst for change in this area. With current technological advances in the field, geologists and field technicians can capture, validate, and share information about a drill site with the departments of the industry that are equipped to handle it.

With the implementation of the cloud, now, the location of underground reservoirs, the depth of resources, and temperature anomalies can be widespread information at the click of a button.

Safer Well Working Environments

Real-time data doesn’t just extend to the productivity of a well-site. It also helps improve the safety of workers in our industry. Drill sites face all manners of malfunctions, most of which prove dangerous to workers.

With mobile devices, Incidents are reported and responded to almost instantly. This allows for fast, correct decisions to be made on-site that preserve the safety of workers as well as the integrity of the project as a whole.

Need Standard Equipment to Complement Your Mobile Tech? Pro-Gas, LLC can Help!

No matter your needs at your drill site, Pro-Gas, LLC is here to help with provisions. Our equipment offerings are top-of-the-line and help teams like yours work successfully in conjunction with the digital technology that moves our industry forward.

If your facility or site requires more equipment that makes oil and gas procurement a smoother process, we’re ready to talk shop. Contact us today to learn more about our current product lines and what they can do for your site.

November brings two major events in Texas this year, Thanksgiving and Election Day! While most people are looking forward to both after such an unpredictable beginning of 2020, the oil and gas industry is especially keeping its eye on how Election Day could go for our industry.

Both Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, and current President of the United States, Donald Trump are hot on the campaign trail and trying to win over oil state votes with their plans for rescuing big oil after the COVID-19 crisis and larger geopolitical issues earlier in the year.

Although we are focused on selling our quality facility and rig products like NGL storage and gas coolers, we still like to keep our visitors informed on the oil landscape as a whole. Here’s a deeper dive into what either candidate is pushing to influence our industry.

Trump States “Don’t Mess With Texas!”

According to an article from the Texas Tribune, President Trump visited the Permian Basin on 07/29 with a message to big oil concerned with recent political stances in Congress to hamper our energy production.

In support of our industry, President Trump discussed some of the future policies he has in store for us if elected as POTUS once again.

Policies the oil and gas industry can expect after a 2020 election under Trump include:

• Extended export contracts for liquified natural gas exporters
• Permits for pipeline and railway infrastructure on the U.S./Mexico border
• Permits allowing Texas to export crude oil into Mexico

While we would love to see oil facilities have the ability to expand exports, it’s always a good idea to look at what the other side of the fence has on offer.

The Oil Industry Can Also Meet at Biden’s Level

Although former Vice President Joe Biden recently unveiled a 2 trillion dollar plan that promotes clean energy, efficiency, and climate change, it’s still a plan that big industry oil companies can get behind.

While Biden’s plan does lead to an eventual net-zero greenhouse gas emissions outcome, he decided to not completely cut the oil and gas industry from his favor. Even with his plan for cutting carbon emissions, he did not propose a ban on hydraulic fracking. This practice is something that has pushed our industry to the top and it’s great to find out that our industry still plays a vital role in the American economy.

Trust Pro-Gas, LLC to Support Gas Practices That Better America

No matter how the 2020 election turns out, the team at Pro-Gas, LLC feels that the industry will 2020continue to thrive. Until that day comes, we will continue to support facilities, rigs, and the employees that make them essential cogs in the machine of American production.

If your site needs reliable equipment that keeps operations moving, contact us today to learn more about our current lineup of products.

Offshore oil rigs are productive, yet sometimes, dangerous places to work. Unfortunately, when safety is ill-managed on an offshore rig serious injuries and fatalities occur. With large amounts of equipment, risk involving the handling of mined materials, and even just being out on the water, it’s no wonder that safety is imperative to so many rig managers.

If you run a facility that manages offshore drilling, make sure that your team stays safe this summer. Here are five safety tips that should keep your offshore rig running smoothly.

Make Orientation a Requirement

In order to instill a safety-first mentality on your offshore rig, safety orientation is an essential part of the culture. Rig workers move between rigs on a regular basis. Even though most of them would communicate that they are up to speed on safety culture, fatal mistakes can still be made.

A mandatory orientation helps lay down your specific safety culture and ensures that your safety expectations are met to the best of your staff’s ability.

Continuously Train Your Staff

One orientation doesn’t cut it. Safety standards constantly change and your team should always be on the same page as industry standards. Ongoing training with machinery, safety procedures, and equipment helps express your rig’s commitment to safety and drives the point home for your busy team.

Sanitize Your Equipment

COVID-19 knows no boundaries, so your offshore rig should always be as germ-free as possible for your staff’s safety. Health safety is important on your rig because not only can disease spread quickly, but illness leaves your rig short-handed in the end.

Create some routine cleaning shifts and ensure that heavily touched surfaces are sanitized and that all employees practice social distancing and wear face coverings and gloves where required.

Keep Required Safety Equipment Stocked

Oil rigs require a large amount of safety equipment that promotes oil & gas employee safety. So, it’s important that your site keeps safety equipment clean and available at all times for your workers. Aside from the current need for safety masks, your rig should stay stocked with gear like:

• Safety glasses
• Hard hats
• Respirators
• Fire-Resistant clothing

Maintain Your Machinery

Heavy-duty machinery like gas-coolers or fuel conditioners can be dangerous pieces of equipment when they aren’t maintained. Make sure that your site has a set maintenance schedule for your equipment that guarantees optimal functionality for years to come.

Keep Your Oil Rig Equipped With Pro-Gas, LLC

One of the most important ways to keep your oil rig safe is with reliable equipment. The team at Pro-Gas, LLC prides itself on providing only the best equipment to both on-shore and offshore drill sites. Whether you need efficient gas coolers or somewhere to store your LNGs, we have the equipment that keeps your rig operational. Contact us today to get your equipment orders prepared and to learn more about our other services.

By the time oil and gas reaches consumers, the materials have already been measured out and mass-produced from the sites and facilities they originated from. While most people know that oil is measured out by the barrel, most don’t quite understand what that measurement means and how natural gas is measured at a drill site.

Here’s a closer look at how these products are measured at their sites, which will hopefully provide a deeper understanding of the terminology used in current industry articles that discuss results by the measurement.

Measuring On-site Oil and Gas Production

Oil production is measured across the globe in barrels. Barrels can also be referred to through their abbreviated term, “bbl.” One barrel is the equivalent of 42 gallons by the United State’s standards.

Measurements are usually described on daily and quarterly terms. However, the abbreviations used throughout the industry may leave the average person scratching their heads. For example, 1,000 barrels of oil is often referred to as “M,” and 1 million barrels would be abbreviated as “MM.”

So, when someone reading an article sees that a site produced 5 Mbbls per day, that’s the industry’s way of abbreviating 5,000 barrels of oil in one day.

Gas Production Measurements

Gas production is measured in cubic feet or “cf.” Much like oil, natural gas numbers are based on how much is produced per day or per quarter. However, since natural gas seems to be a more plentiful commodity for facilities to harvest, the industry uses abbreviations that reach up into the billions and trillions of cubic feet in the United States.

These abbreviations are “Bcf” for one billion cubic feet and “Tcf” for one trillion cubic feet.

Is Gas Always Measured in Cubic Feet?

While we’ve discussed measuring gas in cubic feet, keep in mind that unlike barrels, cubic feet isn’t something that is used to measure natural gas products across the globe. Across the seas, natural gas is measured in British thermal units (Btu) and can even be reported as cubic meters in order to further simplify the measurement process at a global level.

Learn More About Oil and Gas Industry Practices With Pro-Gas, LLC!

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we are committed to providing facilities and drill sites with our state-of-the-art equipment and highest quality services in the industry. However, we also believe that education in uncertain times for our industry is equally important. So, regardless of if you need the latest updates on the oil and gas market news or if you just need some NGL tanks to transfer some product, we are always here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

While many oil companies have to face the dire consequences of a geopolitical feud that makes production especially expensive, consumers are reaping the benefits of lower gas prices. Although we’d love to see local facilities thriving at maximum production, this is just something we’ll have to wait for as the economy begins to inch its way back up.

For now, we will continue to supply essential equipment like NGL tanks and gas coolers to facilities and sites that need them as they pursue oil and gas production. However, we also see the brighter side of savings from the consumer point of view.

In the spirit of saving and surviving in the world of Coronavirus, here are some extra tips for using consumer-ready oil and gas wisely this summer.

Time When You Fill Up!

According to an article published in Forbes, one of the easiest ways for someone to save even more money on gas in their vehicle is timing when they decide to pump!

Based on information from Breitling Oil and Gas’ CEO, Chris Faulkner, gas prices generally rise at 10 a.m. on Thursdays in order to increase the cash flow of the weekend drivers. So, if you’ve been impacted by the economic circumstances of Coronavirus, remember to hit the pumps at the beginning of the week before gas station prices change.

Keep Up You Car’s Maintenance

The amount you spend on gas also depends on how well you maintain your car. Simple maintenance practices like filling up your tires with air, getting your tires rotated, and cleaning your car’s air filters can help you save a fair amount of gas money every month!

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

Your air conditioner and heating unit use up gas in order to keep your home feeling comfortable. However, you don’t need your home at extreme temperatures at times when you’re not there to enjoy it. Save some money this summer by picking up a programmable thermostat and getting your home on a temperature timer. Not only will you remain happy with your home’s energy bill, but you’d never even know the temperature had changed if you time your adjustments right.

Let Your Dishwasher Do the Dirty Work

While we aren’t necessarily saying to let your dishes pile up in the kitchen, we are saying you should take a little time to fill up your dishwasher for one swift cleaning. Although your dishwasher does use energy to get its job done, we guarantee that when you frequently wash your dishes by hand every night, you’re consuming much more energy.

When your water heater has to consistently work to produce hot water for hand-washing dishes, be prepared to watch your energy bill increase during the summer months.

Trust Pro-Gas, LLC to Help Keep Your Facility Producing

The team at Pro-Gas, LLC understands that times are tough for many of the facilities we support. The best we can advise is to continue pushing forward and help us make the economy a better place for everyone. Stay safe, and remember, we are always here to help out with quality equipment and the latest updates about major news in our industry. Contact us to learn more about any of our products and services.

By now, the evidence is clear that COVID-19 and the global oil price war have had a significant, negative impact on the United States shale industry. In the past, we’ve discussed how the government could possibly help the oil industry through meticulously planned bailouts. However, there are steps the shale industry can take that can help ensure its long-term survival as a global competitor.

Here’s a look at our shale industry insights going forward and how drill sites and production facilities can work together to bring the industry back up.

Oil Will Survive, But Slowly…

According to an article from Forbes, the falling oil prices can’t last forever. Eventually, they will hit their limit and become forced to move back up. However, the article says that even though our industry should ultimately survive, the process will be slow as long as a vaccine for COVID-19 hasn’t been created and approved.

Even after we’ve returned to “normal,” the oversupply of oil will still remain a problem. Experts predict that it could take up to a year for the current oil supply to get used up when prices begin to increase again.

Lower Oil Prices Provide Tax Relief

As oil companies drill on private property, they must pay taxes and royalties to the owners of the property. These payments are based on the overall value of the oil that’s farmed and generally fluctuates with the market.

Though it’s never comforting for oil prices to dip too low, when they do reach the depths that they have, oil companies do receive tax and royalty relief. In the long-run, this relief can help keep U.S. shale production functioning. While it may not be at the levels we want to see at facilities, it at least shows promise for the future of our industry.

Well Site Automation

Although we are still in the early stages of using artificial intelligence (AI) at drill sites, the idea has become something that many companies are considering based on the overall benefits. Currently, one of the biggest factors that financially holds oil companies back is the expense of equipment training and ensuring that sites are well-staffed by numerous employees that are capable of safely maintaining the site.

AI takes the complexity of adjusting drill direction by automatically following the site’s proposed drill path. This use of AI alone provides several benefits that include:

• Decreasing the strain of equipment
• Drilling wells quickly
• Allowance of remote task oversight
• A cleaner work site

Continuous Best Practices

Best practices have always been one of the biggest priorities of our industry. From proper maintenance of equipment like gas coolers to studying specific reservoirs for the best drilling opportunities, continuing to focus on being the best industry we can be will eventually help us to press forward.

Stay Updated on Shale’s Survival With Pro-Gas, LLC

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we know how resilient our industry is. Despite the current economic climate, we are certain that U.S. shale will make it through as we adjust to this new normal. As always, we are here to provide your site with the best equipment at an affordable price, as well as keep you caught up on the latest industry news. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Learn more about your trusted oil and gas industry service provider, Pro-Gas, LLC.