What Is LPG? Propane vs Butane, Uses and Safety
LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) is a mix of propane and butane that turns into a liquid under light pressure. It is the fuel in grill tanks, camping stoves and the cooking cylinders used in millions of homes worldwide. It comes from two places: natural gas processing plants and oil refineries. It is stored as a liquid because that takes far less room — propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than as a gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
What is LPG used for?
According to the EIA:
- At home: space and water heating, cooking, clothes dryers, gas fireplaces, grills and backup generators.
- In business and industry: forklifts, welders and other equipment.
- On farms: heating barns and greenhouses, drying crops and running irrigation pumps.
- In transportation: fuel for cars, school buses and delivery vans (“autogas”).
- In petrochemicals: feedstock for plastics, chemicals and synthetic rubber.
Is LPG propane or butane?
Both. LPG is a blend, and the mix varies by country and season.
| Propane | Butane | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C₃H₈ | C₄H₁₀ |
| Boils (turns to gas) at | −44 °F (−42 °C) | about 32 °F (0 °C) |
| Main uses | heating, cooking, autogas, industry | gasoline blending, lighters, petrochemicals |
The practical difference is cold weather. Propane keeps vaporizing even at −40 °F, so it works outdoors in winter. Butane stops vaporizing around freezing, which is why butane stoves struggle on cold mornings or at altitude.
In the U.S., consumer-grade propane (HD-5) must be at least 90% propane by volume, per the EIA. So when Americans say “propane,” they usually mean LPG.
LPG vs natural gas
- Natural gas is mostly methane, which is lighter than air: a leak rises. It reaches homes through pipes.
- LPG is heavier than air: a leak sinks and collects on floors, in basements and in sewers, according to the NOAA emergency response guide. It is delivered in cylinders or by tank truck.
- Both are odorless. The “gas smell” comes from an additive put in on purpose so you can notice a leak.
What to do if you smell gas
Based on the Emergency Response Guidebook (NOAA) and the Quito Fire Department:
- Don’t light anything — no matches, candles or switches. A spark is enough to ignite it.
- Close the cylinder valve.
- Ventilate, especially low down. Because LPG is heavier than air, kitchens and storage areas need ventilation near the floor.
- If the leak continues, get out and call the fire department. NOAA’s guide recommends isolating at least 330 feet (100 meters) in every direction for a large release.
To check connections safely, firefighters recommend soapy water: bubbles mean a leak at that joint. Hoses, regulators and valves wear out and should be replaced periodically.
LPG in Venezuela
In Venezuela, almost all household gas is LPG in cylinders; only 7% of the population has piped gas, according to Caracas outlet Crónica Uno. The same September 2026 report put national LPG output at about 15,000 barrels a day against demand of 40,000 to 50,000, which is why cylinders are scarce and resold at a markup. For the bigger picture, see Venezuela’s natural gas reserves.
What is not known
- How much LPG Venezuela produces today. PDVSA does not publish the figure; the 15,000 b/d is an estimate reported by the press.