Wood Pellets or Natural Gas - Supply issues

[Lake Girl]

While trying to find a better pellet to burn than Indeck (when I usually use Heartlands), I came across this article on natural gas. Adds a twist to the heating market ...
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/03/10/natural-gas-industry-struggles-to-keep-promises

What do you do when your NG freezes when drilling and you have people relying on NG for heat? An interesting conundrum

 

[TimfromMA]

Heating with NG is even cheaper than pellets. I probably would have gone with NG instead of pellets if there was NG service on my street.

 

[JustWood]

While trying to find a better pellet to burn than Indeck (when I usually use Heartlands), I came across this article on natural gas. Adds a twist to the heating market ...
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/03/10/natural-gas-industry-struggles-to-keep-promises

What do you do when your NG freezes when drilling and you have people relying on NG for heat? An interesting conundrum

Everyone needs a trifecta. 3 different heat sources whatever they may be.
Maybe the industry should develop a trifuel furnace .Oil gas and one of the condensates they are pulling out of the NG.

 

[Bioburner]

So basically, if we have a warm summer they don't get any gas into storage those thinking that NG was cheap will probably get a piece of cold reality come winter if we have another long cold spell. Sounds like the Midwest this winter when the companies quit piping propane north and pumped ND Bakken oil south instead. Stockup on pellets early and don't be manipulated by the oil companies next winter.

 

[BrotherBart]

Everyone needs a trifecta. 3 different heat sources whatever they may be.

I have it. The wood stacks. Then the down stairs furniture. Then the upstairs furniture.

 

[JustWood]

I believe new pipelines will be developed rather quickly if NIMBYism or politics don't kill it. The industry has no where near tapped the full potential of the Marcellus, let alone the Uttica or Trenton Black River shales.

 

[titleist1]

I have it. The wood stacks. Then the down stairs furniture. Then the upstairs furniture.

I could go for a month on the Longaberger baskets before getting to the downstairs furniture here!

 

[Arti]

The article reads like it is more about Propane than Natural Gas ?? I suspect that the author of this article was a bit confused.

 

[BrotherBart]

I could go for a month on the Longaberger baskets before getting to the downstairs furniture here!

Yeah. My last ditch is the wooden duck decoys.

 

[Pellet-King]

Propane is like oil a ripoff, has to be delivered, I have NG 40 feet from me, but i'm not spending $5G to switch, thats alot of pellets!!

 

[BrotherBart]

Propane is like oil a ripoff, has to be delivered, I have NG 40 feet from me, but i'm not spending $5G to switch, thats alot of pellets!!

Kinda like when I mention having the dead for over a 15 years heat pump replaced. Wife asks me how much wood the cost of the thing plus the electricity to run it would buy.

So I go back to the splitter.

 

[moey]

If NG price skyrockets for long term pellets will too.

 

[john193]

Heating with NG is even cheaper than pellets. I probably would have gone with NG instead of pellets if there was NG service on my street.

Agreed. Unfortunately not even my street has NG service.

 

[m159267]

Heating with NG is even cheaper than pellets. I probably would have gone with NG instead of pellets if there was NG service on my street.

When it comes to heating you should never put all your eggs in one basket if you can avoid it. Sure NG is cheap - now.
But I can promise you someday there will be a hiccup in the supply line and NG prices will sky-rocket.
Then everyone will lament that they should be using pellets. If you have the means to have 2 or 3 different heating sources, you cannot be held hostage as easily by one of those sources.
I cringe when I hear folks wanting to get rid of their pellet stove and go to NG. Have both!

 

[SwineFlue]

Agreed. Unfortunately not even my street has NG service.

Street? There's no NG service in my entire county. Literally dozens & dozens of NG wells, but it's all feeding into the Millenium pipeline down to NYC.

Here's the view the other day from my bedroom window. Fresh-squeezed natural gas, probably 50-60 foot tall flame, almost 2 miles away:

It sounds like a jet airliner on take-off.

 

[Bioburner]

Someone had an idea to use that flame off to generate electricity but somehow was stopped by some bureaucratic mumbo jumbo. If I remember, its ok to waste it in that manner but if you try and make use of it a three letter government agency gets involved

 

[SwineFlue]

its ok to waste it in that manner but if you try and make use of it a three letter government agency gets involved

I am not surprised...

 

[Chitownhillbilly]

The article reads like it is more about Propane than Natural Gas ?? I suspect that the author of this article was a bit confused.

Nope, it's 100% about NG. My father and multiple friends are in the industry. I've heard similar issues going on for the past couple months.

 

[mepellet]

If you have the means to have 2 or 3 different heating sources, you cannot be held hostage as easily by one of those sources.

Got 4 here.
Pellet stove
Wood stove
Oil boiler
Electric space heaters


Think I'm diversified enough?

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I have it. The wood stacks. Then the down stairs furniture. Then the upstairs furniture.

What about all the stuff in the in-law apartment? Is that off limits?

 

[TimfromMA]

We still have our oil furnace. Since our stove is upstairs, the oil furnace keeps the basement warm enough so no pipes freeze. It's also our source of hot water.

 

[Mt Bob]

Mis leading information(some of it) msu in billings pays for an interrupable supply,which gives them a lower price but can be temp. dropped out of service.That section of school has complete propane secondary,that has not been maintained.They could not keep the propane side running.Much ado about nothing.

 

[tiger]

If you have the means to have 2 or 3 different heating sources, you cannot be held hostage as easily by one of those sources.

...and I fear that right when I need any of them the most, they will be the most unreliable. During my brief encounter w/oil heat before converting to NG, I recall my supplier unable to keep up in extremely cold weather. I recall "shortages" of firewood (in suburban setting, I'm not cutting my trees down) which was a minor factor in going pellet. NG has been reliable SO FAR. Big storm, out of pellets, NG not coming though the pipe, the day that happens I guarantee the electricity goes out just as I plug in the space heater. How does cold fusion work again?

 

[Lake Girl]

Of course there will be no electricity - either the lines will be down or everyone will be plugging in heaters the same time you are

 

[iceguy4]

I have it. The wood stacks. Then the down stairs furniture. Then the upstairs furniture.

I have propane for cooking. I hooked up a wall mounted space heater that will be used if power goes out...then my pellet boiler and brand new Oil boiler. When my inlaw apt is finished there will be a wood stove in the basement. Power will be the problem if "it" hits the fan