Nebraska's Average Residential Price of Propane

Average Residential
Propane Prices in Nebraska

Analysis

On November 21, 2005, the average residential propane price had decreased almost one cent from last week to $1.46 per gallon (see the table at the end of this report). The graph below this text shows the spread in prices from month to month and from this year compared to previous years. This week's average price was 17 cents (or 13 percent) higher than the price at this time last year.

Other states in the Midwest Region had higher prices ranging from $1.48 to $2.03 with the region averaging $1.76 per gallon. Ohio continues to have an average price over $2 per gallon. Ohio's average has been over $2 a gallon for the sixth consecutive week. States adjacent to Nebraska, such as South Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri, had prices of $1.51, $1.49, and $1.65, respectively.

While wholesale prices increased almost two cents per gallon this week and the rack-to-retail margin decreased to 42 cents, Nebraska retail prices continue to be the lowest of the surveyed states in the region. (Nebraska does not have the lowest wholesale prices of the surveyed states in the region.)

On the supply side, the Midwest Region inventory level was in the normal range for this time of year with 24.1 million barrels in storage on November 18.

Notes: The annual report for the 2004-2005 winter season is available. An archive houses annual reports from previous years.

Heating Season

The Nebraska Energy Office has participated in the State Heating Oil and Propane Program for five years. During the heating season (October to March), the staff contact companies each week who supply propane to Nebraska, collect Monday's retail price, and submit the data to the Energy Information Administration. The Energy Information Administration calculates the average price shown in the table below.

In the Midwest Region, Nebraska's average residential propane price was the lowest price each week during the last five heating seasons. The Energy Information Administration theorized that this was due to minimal transportation costs since Nebraska's wholesale prices were not the lowest in the region each week. Another reason would be the number of participating states. Since state participation in the program is voluntary, propane prices were not surveyed in each state in the Midwest Region. Kansas and Oklahoma might also have had low prices--possibly lower than Nebraska's because the two states are closer to production, refinery, and storage areas.

Off Season

During the off season (April through September), the Nebraska Energy Office staff continue to contact the same suppliers who were contacted during the heating season. Staff contact suppliers once a month instead of once a week since the price of propane is usually not as volatile during the off season. The Nebraska Energy Office staff calculate the average price, shown in the table below, from the suppliers' retail prices on the first Monday of the month.

State Heating Oil and Propane Program

The Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, conducts the State Heating Oil and Propane Program from October to March--the heating season--each year. The Energy Information Administration collects prices for the program each week from participating states and calculates a state average price, a regional average price, and a national average price which can be seen in the report Residential Propane Prices by Region and State.

Midwest Region

For statistical purposes, the Energy Information Administration defines the Midwest Region to include the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Price Explanation

The prices represent average home heating charge prices for delivery of consumer grade propane, excluding taxes and cash discounts.

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Nebraska's Average Residential Propane Prices
2001/2002 - 2005/2006

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Nebraska's Average Residential Propane Prices
2001/2002 - 2005/2006

	Heating Season						Off Season
	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
2001/2002
First Monday	$0.815	$0.771	$0.768	$0.769	$0.773	$0.736	$0.736	$0.733	$0.720	$0.708	$0.693	$0.714
Second Monday	$0.797	$0.772	$0.777	$0.770	$0.735	$0.739
Third Monday	$0.798	$0.779	$0.773	$0.770	$0.735	$0.734
Fourth Monday	$0.786	$0.770	$0.773	$0.773	$0.734
Fifth Monday	$0.774		$0.769
2002/2003
First Monday	$0.721	$0.743	$0.744	$0.806	$0.901	$1.181	$0.886	$0.849	$0.845	$0.882	$0.899	$0.934
Second Monday	$0.734	$0.743	$0.747	$0.806	$0.973	$0.975
Third Monday	$0.736	$0.743	$0.784	$0.843	$0.943	$0.966
Fourth Monday	$0.739	$0.743	$0.793	$0.855	$0.948
Fifth Monday			$0.799
2003/2004
First Monday	$0.925	$0.964	$0.945	$0.959	$0.990	$0.984	$0.981	$0.971	$0.982	$0.974	$1.038	$1.143
Second Monday	$0.960	$0.955	$0.942	$1.027	$1.011	$0.983
Third Monday	$0.966	$0.952	$0.957	$1.008	$0.993	$0.984
Fourth Monday	$0.968	$0.952	$0.956	$1.006	$0.992
Fifth Monday			$0.959
2004/2005
First Monday	$1.158	$1.290	$1.265	$1.237	$1.220	$1.194	$1.220	$1.209	$1.202	$1.225	$1.232	$1.415
Second Monday	$1.195	$1.297	$1.248	$1.236	$1.196	$1.218
Third Monday	$1.227	$1.290	$1.251	$1.228	$1.190
Fourth Monday	$1.312	$1.278	$1.251	$1.228	$1.194
Fifth Monday		$1.288		$1.224
2005/2006
First Monday	$1.475	$1.490	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Second Monday	$1.469	$1.468	NA	NA	NA	NA
Third Monday	$1.474	$1.460	NA	NA	NA
Fourth Monday	$1.479	NA	NA	NA	NA
Fifth Monday	$1.493			NA

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Sources: State Heating Oil and Propane Survey and the Weekly Petroleum Status Report. Energy Information Administration, Office of Oil and Gas, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.

Note: NA = Not Available

This report was updated on November 29, 2005.
Typically, there is one week between updates during the heating season and
one month between updates during the cooling season.

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