SERVICES

Rogas Global Resources Ltd is here to examining the business in this way, some key issues are highlighted. The driving force behind this discussion is

first and foremost the safety of the customer and the general public.

The impact of bad practices adds unnecessary inconvenience and

costs to a business that the customer

ultimately has to bear.

DOMESTIC PACKED

The most popular marketing segment found across the global LPG industry is the supply of a small domestic cylinder to a household through a distributor and retail network.

The domestic LP Gas market typifies the business for many people. The domestic customer is usually serviced with a 10kg up to 45kg LP Gas cylinder that supplies gas, via a pressure regulator, through a hose connection to adomestic appliance.

In some countries the cylinder/valve package is purchased outright by the customer, in others it is loaned on deposit or rented. Occasionally, it is provided free of charge as part of the customer proposition. The issue of cylinder ownership is critical to the success of a domestic LP Gas business, for both supplier and customer, and is covered in more detail later in this chapter.

Because of its durable construction, a cylinder may be refilled hundreds of times during its useful life if properly maintained.

A retailer or distributor in the neighbourhood generally services the customers. This arrangement may include a home delivery service, or the customer may take the cylinder to be filled or exchanged at a local outlet.

DOMESTIC BULK

Rogas Global Resources Ltd is an Individual domestic supplies can be serviced from either a facility similar to the commercial packed arrangement or from a small bulk tank adjacent to the point of use. The latter design is similar to a small industrial bulk facility where the domestic customer will receive and pay for the product in bulk after delivery.

These tanks are generally less than 2 metric tonnes in capacity, and will be located on the property. Access must be provided for the delivery vehicle and driver/operator.

Rogas Global Resources Ltd is the customer is responsible for the general housekeeping of the storage facility but maintenance will normally be the responsibility of the supplier. Demand will not be as high as with industrial customers but there will be periods of the day when demand peaks. These will coincide with the periods of high demand for cooking and heating.

This type of service is also typical for the agriculture market where LP Gas assists farmer in increasing output, and improve the quality of crop production through weed flaming, crop harvesting and crop drying. LP Gas is also used to heat breeding houses for pigs and poultry, and power farm equipment such as irrigation pump engines.

COMMECIAL PACKED

Small commercial applications can be serviced from a single large cylinder or several cylinders connected together with a manifold. These cylinders usually range from 12kg to 50kg capacity. Typically, the manifold is designed to have half the number of cylinders supplying the application, and the other half on standby waiting to replace empty cylinders.

The demand for LP Gas needs careful monitoring to ensure the application is properly serviced. With a number of cylinders in operation at the same time, the demand can normally be met through natural vapourisation. This is where the liquid vapourises inside the cylinder under ambient conditions. When the ambient temperature is too low, or the demand is too high, a small vapouriser can be fitted to artificially produce the vapour to meet demand.

The customer is supplied with cylinders from the filling plant usually via a distributor. The cylinders are normally owned by the LP Gas company and provided as part of the commercial proposition. As with domestic cylinders, maintenance is carried out at the filling plant when the cylinders are returned for refilling.

INDUSTRIAL BULK

A small bulk storage facility is installed when the demand from the industrial or commercial application is too high for service from large cylinders.

This facility maybe similar to the one supplying a domestic bulk installation, typically consisting of a small storage tank of several tonnes capacity, a vapouriser, pressure regulators and a piped network to the application. An area for a bulk vehicle to park during the unloading procedure is required, as well as safe access to the unloading point by the driver/operator.

Rogas Global Resources Ltd Industrial bulk facilities may also be installed to supply LP Gas in liquid form. One example is to provide liquid LP Gas to re-fill cylinders on site for fork lift trucks. In this case the customer must be properly trained to manage the re-filling operation safely, including the inspection and correct filling of cylinders.

These facilities will be normally designed, installed, maintained and operated by the LP Gas marketer/supplier. Demand may be several tonnes of LP Gas a day. Stocks need careful monitoring to ensure a continuous supply of LP Gas.

The customer will often leave the delivery scheduling to the LP Gas marketer/supplier but the actual delivery is sometimes contracted to a distributor.

RETICULATED

Piped - or reticulated – LP Gas and SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) have been successfully introduced in a number of countries and is becoming increasingly popular. Customers are provided with an individual metered supply of LP Gas through a piped network. This type of service eliminates the need for individual cylinders or tanks.

In a reticulated system LP Gas is stored at a central storage compound and supplied through a series of distribution pipes to each household. The supply pressure at the central supply is reduced in stages as the LP Gas moves towards the customer. The eventual gas pressure at the appliance is similar to that from a regular cylinder supply making it possible to use the same gas appliances.

A significant financial investment is necessary to establish the storage facility and infrastructure of pipes to service each household with LP Gas. The company supplying the gas operates like a normal gas utility company.