You don’t need to be an economist to look at this chart of propane exports over the last few years. It looks like a grown-up was drawing the chart right up until August of 2016, and then handed it over to a 5 year old. This is a product and a market that is not in control.

This is worrisome. Propane is a critical fuel stock for consumers, businesses and farms. It is required in many parts of the country to keep our citizens warm and safe. Looking at the crazy gyrations of exports, not to mention the incredible volumes being sent out of the country- deserves much greater attention by our public officials.

Just look at the volumes. The quantity of exports has essentially doubled in 2017. No big surprise then that propane prices in the US have doubled along with them.

Think about it. There is no shortage of propane in the US, but prices have DOUBLED.

This is an economic issue, but it’s also a security issue. What happens if they export too much? Who is responsible if we run out of propane? Sound crazy? It already happened in 2014, when propane exports were about a third of what they are today.

As Mr. T once famously said in Rocky III, ‘Prediction? Pain.’ That’s what we see ahead if our representatives don’t take a closer look at what’s going on.