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As commodity advisors in the energy market, our goal is to help our clients make smart decisions every day. This is why Twin Feathers watches market movements closely, and why we participate in events like the OPIS Global LPG Conference. Check out this review of important South American energy markets and look us up if you are headed to the OPIS LPG Conference!

Continuing our lessons inspired by Will Guidara’s bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality, this week we dive into the practice of hospitality with your customers. Prioritizing a memorable customer experience can have a positive impact on your business, setting you apart from others in your industry.

Twin Feathers team member and President, JD Buss, will be speaking at the first OPIS Global LPG Conference November 5-6, 2024, in Houston, Texas.

Argentina’s increasing production of oil, natural gas, and LPG have enabled the country to meet its growing domestic energy demand and to export significant amounts of LPG to nearby countries.

In Hedging 201 we would like to take things a little farther, exploring important topics like understanding market spreads and how using different financial tools can benefit your business. The first topic we will explore is – forward curve structure.

Beyond Expectations is a new series exploring the business benefits of unreasonable hospitality. Inspired by Will Guidara’s book, Unreasonable Hospitality – The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, this series will highlight how harnessing hospitality can be transformative for your business.

Committed to clean, green, affordable energy, Costa Rica is an important consumer of LPG in Central America. With no significant oil or gas production, the country is dependent on imports. These imports make it possible for Costa Rica to move toward fuels that have less impact on the environment.

Twin Feathers speaks at the Inaugural OPIS Global LPG Conference. Team member, JD Buss, will speak at this event, November 5-6, 2024, in Houston, Texas.

In our Hedging 101 series, our goals were to provide information about hedging in a way that “Kept Things Simple”, while also providing the building blocks to understand basic hedging concepts in action. This post reviews some terms and concepts we’ve covered in this series, and gives a brief overview of where we want to go next with hedging!

Labor Day seems like one last long summer weekend. A chance for one last getaway or party at the beginning of the school year. Is that all it is? Why do we celebrate Labor Day?

People known for their work ethic typically demonstrate a high level of commitment, integrity, and a positive attitude. A strong work ethic benefits both individuals and companies, leading to success for both!

Hedging 101 has discussed many different strategies to protect against risk, including prebuy, fixed price products, and futures contracts. In this post, we want to look at how financial swaps can reduce risk when a fuel distributor is using a financial hub product.

Chile’s emerging energy market is heavily dependent on imports. The country’s increasing demands for LPG in residential and commercial sectors, plus their growing demand for Autogas have set up a situation where the country is extremely sensitive to global market dynamics. This country’s emerging energy market could impact the global propane market in the coming years.

Twin Feathers will be attending the 6th International LPG Congress in Bogotá, Colombia. This event will look at the role of LPG as a low-emission energy product that is growing in importance on both a national and global level.

Being able to adapt to changing circumstances and expectations is what flexibility in the workplace is all about. Employers and employees who are open-minded and willing to change how things are done contribute to long-term success for their clients, companies and themselves.

Hedging 101 has discussed using different strategies like prebuy and fixed price products to protect against risk. In this post, we want to talk about another strategy – futures contracts. Come with us as we look at how using a financial hub product plus basis can help you navigate some of the risks of the fuel industry.

Chile is a large energy consumer that is heavily dependent on imports to meet their energy needs. A continuous decline in the amount of oil and gas produced domestically, combined with an increase in demand for LPG have created an emerging energy market that could significantly impact the global propane markets in the coming years.

As a kid, the Fourth of July was all about parades, hotdogs, and fireworks. As an adult, it’s more about spending time with family and friends, and of course, enjoying the fireworks. But what is the point of the parades, barbecues, and fireworks in a sea of red, white, and blue? Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July?

Propane conference season is in full swing. Twin Feathers will be attending several events this year. We want to highlight two events that our team members will be attending this summer. These events are great ways to get caught up with the latest developments in the industry, as well as with colleagues and those new to the industry.

Creativity is an important part of forming a successful business. Imagination, curiosity, and experimentation help build a creative mindset, and practice makes that mindset strong!

Hedging 101 has defined basic terms and given examples of hedging using different tools. In this post, we take a quick detour to talk about the not so glamorous, but necessary, part of hedging – risk policies.

Peru’s growing LPG market faces challenges related to production, increasing imports, and transitioning significant portions of its population to cleaner fuels. The country’s growing demand for LPG could impact the global propane markets in the next few years.

Every business faces problems and challenges. The ability to understand an issue, analyze possible solutions, then take action to put a plan into motion are all part of problem solving. Join us as we explore this important soft skill.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer season. Pools open, people throw parties and enjoy the three-day weekend. But is that all there really is to this holiday?

Our Hedging 101 series has introduced and defined basic terms and given an example of hedging through a prebuy purchase. We continue with another example of hedging using two different tools for fixed price products.

Peru is a country that is rich in natural resources. The country’s declining oil production has been boosted by its increased NGL production. However, the country’s growing demand for LPG products for cooking, heating, and Autogas have created a growing energy market that could impact the global propane markets in the coming years.

At Twin Feathers we believe soft skills can be just as important as hard skills. One of these soft skills is communication. Effective communication is vital to building strong relationships, and strong relationships make the fuel industry work!

The Southeastern Convention and International Propane Expo marks the official “end of winter” and “beginning of spring” for the propane industry. Along with being a great way to see innovations in the field, talk about supply strategies, and catch up with friends and colleagues, this convention is also a great place to discuss the “unofficial” hot topics in the industry.

In our Hedging 101 series we defined basic terms, such as “hedge,” and have identified risks a business needs to protect against. We now move into the process of beginning to hedge or protect against those risks.

Brazil faces challenges related to an increasing demand for LPG coupled with a decrease in production. These changes could impact the global propane markets.

We know the value of technical knowledge and expertise in the energy industry. Hard skills like these are essential for success. But did you know that personal attributes like communication and flexibility are just as important? Come join us as Twin Feathers launches a series on the value of soft skills in the energy sector.

Our Hedging 101 series began by defining a “hedge” as a way to protect against risk. With that basic building block in place, we can move on to the next step – identifying what risks a business needs to protect against.

A recent New York Times article highlighted some unintended consequences of pushing electricity consumption as part of a plan for reaching climate goals. These consequences lead us to think about whether or not fossil fuels are really going away.

Brazil is one of the world’s largest oil producers, with substantial proven reserves, established infrastructure, and one of the world’s largest environmental treasures. The country’s increasing demand for natural gas, coupled with a decrease in production are some of the factors leading to a change in this major energy market.

Hedging 101 is our way of answering some of the questions and comments we have received over 25 years in the industry. We want to do this so that those just starting out, as well as seasoned industry pros can benefit from the series.

Carbon credit values fell during the last half of 2023 and began 2024 looking weak. Will there be a rebound this year?

Guyana’s development as an energy market has the potential to impact the global propane markets. It’s increasing oil and natural gas production will create opportunities for growth and change in the global propane markets.

Propane conference season is coming soon. Last week we highlighted several upcoming events in the United States. Because propane is a global commodity, we wanted to also feature some associations and meetings that will be occurring internationally.

Halfway through winter is usually the time that people start wondering if spring will ever arrive. It’s also the time of year people start preparing for the upcoming propane conference season.

To help everyone get ready for the 2024 conference season, we wanted to provide a brief outline of events taking place from the end of February through May.

Most of the United States is just starting to emerge from a stretch of bitterly cold, snowy weather. Spring is almost two months away. Why should you be concerned about NEXT winter?

Guyana is a developing energy market in northern South America. It has the potential to be one of the largest oil and natural gas discoveries in the Western hemisphere. Its growing oil and natural gas production will lead to changes in the global propane markets over the coming decade.

JD Buss brings a curiosity about new ideas, as well as a sincere interest in other people to his work. He is always interested in hearing from people, even those who hold different opinions from his.

The start of each year brings the promise of new beginnings as well as the question, “What should we prepare for this year?” That question is what we’d like to discuss with this post.

Christmas – like the song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” There are lights, decorations, parties and presents. People make a point of being more kind and giving. Friends and family make a point to connect and celebrate together.

In the second half of 2023, the Twin Feathers team kicked off a series of blogs and educational studies via our website (www.twinfeathers.com). As we close out this year, we wanted to give a brief review of four major themes from these posts.

This week we continue our exploration of Colombia – a major energy market in South America. We take a closer look at the country’s growing usage of natural gas and LPG, their decrease in domestic production of these products, and their increasing need for imports in the near future.

With a focus on helping clients find solutions, Matt Adams is all about problem solving! His background of practical experience in energy distribution, logistics and hedging gives him a solid understanding of what Twin Feathers’ clients do and how he can help them do it better.

Thanksgiving often ushers in thoughts of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin pie, and, for many in the U.S., football. This season, I hope we can all find things to be thankful for and use these to help bring people together instead of dividing them.

Colombia, a major energy market in South America, has abundant reserves of oil, natural gas, and coal, as well as a large potential for renewable energy. However, the country faces some challenges in maintaining its energy security and sustainability.

Kristal Myers brings a wealth of experience to Twin Feathers. She enjoys being part of a team that lets her use her skills and maintain a healthy balance between work and her personal life.

What will propane prices do this winter? An analysis of almost two decades of historical data, plus our knowledge of current inventory levels and potential weather conditions allows Twin Feathers to give smart advice about whether the market holds more “tricks” than “treats” this winter.

Each winter begins with strong expectations of cold weather, which will drive a demand for more heating. In this post we discuss options for managing warm winter weather, helping your business avoid large fluctuations due to temperature changes and stabilizing your business.

Gabriel Amundarain, Twin Feathers’ newest team member, is no stranger to navigating change. Experienced in the oil industry, as well as the paint and coatings industry, he brings a blend of technical expertise with hands-on management skills with him.

Winter brings cold weather which in turn helps bring propane demand. As we look forward to dropping temperatures, we want to review three important items that can help a propane retailer be prepared for this winter.

Tina Schmitt enjoys people. With almost twenty years in the propane/energy industry, Tina can confidently say, “Propane people are my people.” Tina has been a Senior Commodity Advisor with Twin Feathers for seven years now. She excels at building relationships with her clients and believes one of the best things she can do for clients is help them understand their risks.

Attendees of this year’s HOA Energy Symposium were treated to Kansas City history, great barbecue, and a range of topics – from transitioning a business to the carbon credit markets.

Twin Feathers and Propaneandoiltraining.com present free 30-minute web session October 17, 2023, 2 p.m. The session, “Carbon Credits and Your Fuel Company” will discuss how carbon credits can be used to make your company carbon neutral. Register for this free session at propaneandoiltraining.com.

How carbon credits benefit your business. We wrap up our series on carbon neutrality with a discussion of the ways carbon credits benefit your business today. For more information on how carbon credits can help your business reach carbon neutrality, contact your Twin Feathers team.

How to purchase carbon credits-Part 2. We finish discussing the process of purchasing carbon credits and the importance of retiring them. Twin Feathers purchases carbon credits for clients with the intent that the purchase will cause them to be carbon neutral.

The Heart of America Energy Symposium is a two-day event, September 19-20, 2023, where industry leaders will present important topics to help you make smart decisions navigating the changing energy market.

How to purchase carbon credits, Part 1. We will walk you through the “nuts and bolts” of purchasing carbon credits. We begin the discussion by talking about the importance of a business valuation and why it’s important to pick a category of carbon credit, either general contract or specific certified project.

Carbon credits offset or reduce the amount of carbon emissions your business produces. Purchasing carbon credits can help your business achieve carbon neutrality.

Carbon credits should be part of your plan to get ahead of coming changes in the energy market. We explain why it’s important to plan for change now, and how carbon credits will help your business get ahead of government regulations, offer unique marketing opportunities, and sustain profitability for the long term.

How to reach carbon neutrality. We provide expert information to help your business be proactive in dealing with the changing energy market.

The Heart of America Energy Symposium is a two-day event, September 19-20, 2023, where industry leaders will present important topics to help you make smart decisions navigating the changing energy market.

Twin Feathers President, J.D. Buss will speak at the PPGA & WPGA Summer Conference, August 2023. He will be discussing potential strategies for retail distributors to maximize their business while navigating market changes surrounding the growth of electrical energy options.

What does it really mean? Carbon neutrality is the idea of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by creating a balance between the amount of gas emitted into and absorbed from the earth’s atmosphere. Creating this balance is part of a larger push toward less fossil fuel consumption in the future. Carbon neutrality centers on […]

  “Change – the only constant.”   The UN position on Climate Change According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, global temperatures have risen 1.1ºC above pre-industrial levels. This temperature increase is linked to melting glaciers, rising sea levels, flooding and droughts, which impacts millions of people. The Cause What is the cause of […]

The winter of 2022 – 2023 is upon us and we wanted to look at three Challenges that every propane or fuel distributor needs to be aware of this winter.

High oil prices. High gasoline prices. High natural gas prices. High diesel prices. High Electricity prices. Will this trend continue??

Even though they may be “across the pond,” Europe’s high natural gas prices will definitely impact propane values this winter.

Twin Feathers is committed to our established partnerships with valued clients and to helping them make smart decisions every day with commodity advising they can trust.