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Article: NATURAL GAS MIXTURE HAS BECOME RISKIER MANY PRODUCERS NO LONGER STRIP OUT PROPANE AND BUTANE, STIRRING UP SOME SAFETY CONCERNS.(BUSINESS)
- Article from:
- The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)
- Article date:
- April 30, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Capital Newspapers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Brad Foss AP business writer
It used to be that natural gas producers would strip out traces of propane and butane before piping the desired fuel -- primarily methane -- to power plants and utilities. The impurities were actually worth more than the natural gas itself, so collecting them gave producers a nice side business.
But today, with gas supplies tight and valued at twice their historical average, many producers want to pump as much as they can -- impurities included. The result is a fuel cocktail that many power plants and home appliances weren't designed to handle, presenting a number of safety, environmental and reliability concerns.
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