Propane vs butane vs methane

DI FFERENTIATOR: T HE- ANES

Propane, butane and methane (along with isobutene, pentane and others that only chemists have heard of) are all forms of liquefied natural gas. When natural gas comes out of the well, it’s often damp and dirty. The gases are cleaned and processed to reduce acidity and filter out moisture and particulates. The largest gas, by quantity, is methane. It’s used to generate power and heat homes. Propane is a much smaller percentage of natural gas, but its Btu content is higher than that of methane. It is also used to heat homes, and as fuel for engines and grills. Propane and methane are mixed in varying quantities to enhance liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Butane is most commonly used in cigarette lighters, but it can also be transformed into butene, which is used to create synthetic rubber. As for all of the others? They find their way into feedstocks that eventually become the stuff of modern life: plastic jugs, disposable coffee cups, paint thinner and petrol components.