Propane (chemical formula C3H8) is a three-carbon alkane hydrocarbon that exists as a colorless, odorless gas at standard temperature and pressure but is easily liquefied under moderate pressure for storage and transport as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is a co-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, recovered primarily from natural gas streams and crude oil refining operations. Propane has a boiling point of -42.1°C (-43.8°F) at atmospheric pressure and a high energy content (approximately 50.3 MJ/kg), making it a widely used fuel for residential heating, cooking, agricultural drying, industrial processes, and as an automotive fuel (autogas). It is also an important petrochemical feedstock for the production of propylene via steam cracking or propane dehydrogenation, and serves as a refrigerant (R-290) and aerosol propellant in various industrial and consumer applications.
How About the Price?
Key Influence Events
Data source: UN Comtrade monthly trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?period=202606&cmdCode=271112&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-09-24
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-07 to 2026-06)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 271112 moved from USD 276/ton in 2025-07 to USD 258/ton in 2026-06 (-6.6% across the window). The window high was USD 323/ton in 2026-05 and the low USD 245/ton in 2025-09. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +13.8% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 4,384.9 million of export value on 16,427,308 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 1,368,942 tonnes a month. These are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 8 economies: AUS, CAN, CZE, HUN, IRL, MYS, PRT, SWE. The panel is constant in every month of the window, so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 245 to USD 323/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-06: USD 258/ton, -20.0% against the previous month, on 1,493,971 tonnes.
Demand-side factors
Related market pages on this site: Mixed C4, Dry Gas (C1-C2), Ethylene, n-Butene market analysis.
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page.
Top Countries Production Capacity
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propane content (min) | 95.0 | mol % | HD-5 (GPA 2140) |
| Propane content (min) | 90.0 | mol % | HD-10 (GPA 2140) |
| Propylene content (max) | 5.0 | mol % | HD-5 |
| Propylene content (max) | 10.0 | mol % | HD-10 |
| Butane and heavier (max) | 2.5 | mol % | HD-5 / HD-10 |
| Ethane and lighter (max) | Report | mol % | HD-5 / HD-10 |
| Boiling point (at 1 atm) | -42.1 | °C | All grades |
| Vapor pressure at 37.8°C (max) | 1380 | kPa | HD-5 / HD-10 |
| Relative density (liquid at 15°C) | 0.507 – 0.510 | — | All grades |
| Gross heating value | 50.3 | MJ/kg | All grades |
| Net heating value | 46.3 | MJ/kg | All grades |
| Total sulfur (max) | 123 | mg/kg (ppm wt) | HD-5 / HD-10 (GPA 2140) |
| Total sulfur (max, fuel use EU) | 50 | mg/kg | EN 589 (Autogas) |
| Hydrogen sulfide | Pass (negative) | — | HD-5 / HD-10 |
| Residue on evaporation (max) | 0.05 | mL/100 mL | HD-5 / HD-10 |
| Moisture content | Pass (no free water) | — | All grades |
| Purity (chemical / refrigerant grade, min) | 99.5 | mol % | R-290 (ISO 817) |
| Purity (petrochemical feedstock, min) | 95.0 – 99.5 | mol % | Chemical grade |
Data Sources
Price, volume and capacity figures on this page are computed from the public sources listed below; no subscription assessment data is used or redistributed.
- UN Comtrade monthly public trade statistics — HS 271112, exports, by month (2025-07 to 2026-06): 2025-07, 2025-08, 2025-09, 2025-10, 2025-11, 2025-12, 2026-01, 2026-02, 2026-03, 2026-04, 2026-05, 2026-06
- Fixed reporting panel for this series: AUS, CAN, CZE, HUN, IRL, MYS, PRT, SWE. The exact API calls are the per-month links above.
- Capacity / output figures: JODI-Oil World Database, 2025 annual file (LPG refinery output), annual totals built from monthly kilotonnes — https://www.jodidata.org/_resources/files/downloads/oil-data/annual-csv/secondary/2025.csv. Download page: jodidata.org/oil/database/data-downloads.aspx. A country is included only if it filed a numeric figure in all 12 months of 2025 (58 countries qualified); the Global row is the sum of those reporting countries, not a world estimate.
Who are the Top Players?
| Company | Headquarters | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Chemical | Midland, Michigan, USA | Freeport TX, Plaquemine LA |
| Enterprise Products Partners | Houston, Texas, USA | Mont Belvieu TX |
| Energy Transfer | Dallas, Texas, USA | Mont Belvieu TX |
| Targa Resources | Houston, Texas, USA | Mont Belvieu TX, Galena Park TX |
| Phillips 66 | Houston, Texas, USA | Linden NJ, Ponca City OK, Ferndale WA |
| ExxonMobil | Spring, Texas, USA | Baytown TX, Beaumont TX, Joliet IL |
| Saudi Arabian Oil Co. | Dhahran, Saudi Arabia | Shedgum, Haradh, Fadhili, Hawiyah, Uthmaniyah, Shaybah, Khursaniyah, Berri, Wasit |
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