LPG Meaning – LPG Means: What Does LPG Stand For
LPG meaning is for the acronym for Liquefied Petroleum Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas, which is made up of the hydrocarbons propane, butane and isobutane. LPG means the preferred term within the industry, as it signifies the need to take action for the gas to become a liquid.
But there are also many other terms…
What Does LPG Stand For: Other Terms for LPG
Whilst LPG stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas, it goes by a number of names including Natural Gas Liquids – NGLs, condensate and the actual names of the individual gases that fall under the category of LPG – propane, butane and isobutane.
People also use more colloquial terms to describe LPG.
Some of the more common terms meaning LPG include LPG gas, bottled gas, BBQ gas and camping gas, so it can be quite confusing.
Which Gases are Present in LPG?
LPG is not just a single gas. There are a number of gases that fall under the LPG category.
The most common of these include propane, butane (n-butane) and isobutane (i-butane), as well as mixtures of these gases.
Other gases that also fall under the “LPG” label, including ethane, ethylene, propylene, butylene and isobutylene, as well as mixtures of these gases.
What LPG Means Can Depend on the Country
While LPG means the same thing in most countries, the preferred terminology can vary.
In Australia, it is frequently called “LPG gas”.
In the USA it is just called Propane.
Propane is LPG but not all LPG is propane.
In the UK, it is referred to as either propane, butane or LPG, depending on what you choose.
In other countries, they call it “GPL” or “GLP” instead of “LPG”, as the acronyms are based on different languages and different language syntax.
For example, in French it is “gaz de pétrole liquéfié” or in Spanish it is “gas licuado de petróleo”.
What is LPG? Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LPG – Liquefied Petroleum Gas – describes flammable hydrocarbon gases including propane, butane and mixtures of these gases.
LPG, liquefied through pressurisation, comes from natural gas processing and oil refining.
LPG is used as heating, cooking and auto fuel.
In different countries, what is supplied can be propane, butane or propane-butane blends.
In Australia, LPG is just propane.
Is LPG Liquid or Gas?
LPG exists in two different forms, liquid and gas (vapour).
The pressure and temperature at which it is stored determines which kind you have.
As a liquid, it is stored in a pressurised vessel.
It is typically used as a gas (vapour) but there are liquid applications, as well.
The two terms, vapour and gas, are used interchangeably by most people in reference to LPG.
LPG Meaning can include Natural Gas Liquid – NGL?
The LPG meaning can also be for Natural Gas Liquids – NGL.
However, not all NGLs are LPG.
Natural gas liquids, also called Condensate, include other hydrocarbons, too.
NGLs include isobutane, ethane, ethene, propene, isobutene, butadiene, pentane, pentene and pentanes plus, as well as propane and butane.
Amazingly, LNG – liquefied natural gas – is NOT a natural gas liquid.
Meaning of LPG Gas
The meaning of LPG gas is the same but is the most common term used in Australia, even if it is bad grammar.
The literal meaning of LPG gas is like saying “ATM Machine”.
If you expand the acronyms, you are literally saying “liquefied petroleum gas gas”, just like ATM is “automatic teller machine machine”.
It turns out there is actually a name for this.
It’s called RAS syndrome, which is short for “redundant acronym syndrome syndrome”, which is also a great example of itself.
LP Gas
LP Gas is for people who can’t decide between acronyms and words.
While technically correct, it just isn’t as popular as “LPG” or the erroneous “LPG Gas”.
BBQ Gas
BBQ Gas is a very descriptive favourite in Australia based on the end use.
It is used to describe the gas supplied in 9kg and 4kg gas bottles that are used on BBQs.
Autogas
Autogas is another end use based synonym.
“Auto” combined with “gas” as one word gives you Autogas, which unsurprisingly refers to LPG that is used in LPG powered autos.
It is commonly a blend of propane and butane but can be just propane.
Camping Gas
Camping Gas is, once again, a colloquial term based on the application.
Bottled Gas
In this case, the name is descriptive in reference to the container instead of the use, so we call it Bottled Gas.
There are some variations of this where “bottle gas” and “bottles gas” are used, but they are much less common.
Propane
Many refer specifically to one of the constituent gases, such as propane.
In the USA, they commonly use “propane” and seldom use “LPG”.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Liquefied Petroleum Gas is the full and precise term for the product.
As previously mentioned, a slight variation on this is “Liquid Petroleum Gas”.
Being long and cumbersome, most people choose to use the acronym – LPG.
Eric Hahn has over a decade of experience in the LPG industry and has become a key figure in shaping how LPG is marketed and communicated. As the creator of one of the world’s first LPG blogs, Eric has authored over 200 technical posts, helping educate and inform the industry and consumers.
Eric has served on multiple committees for Gas Energy Australia and the World LPG Association (WLPGA), contributing to important discussions and advancements within the global LPG sector. He has presented at WLPGA Annual Conferences, sharing his expertise as a speaker, panellist, and panel chair.
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Steve Reynolds
Technical Consultant
Steve Reynolds is a leading expert in the LPG industry with over 22 years of experience. As part of the national management team at ELGAS, Steve ensures the safe and efficient storage, handling, and transportation of LPG. He serves as the lead investigator for incidents and collaborates with authorities on industry developments.
Steve is a technical advisor to Standards Australia and Gas Energy Australia (GEA), and an active member of the World LPG Association (WLPGA), contributing to global standards and technical reviews. He holds a BSc. (Hons) in Industrial Chemistry from UNSW and has held senior safety and technical roles at ELGAS, making him a trusted authority in LPG safety and standards.