Agtegra propane to perform tank flare offs before moving to new location

ABERDEEN, S.D. (Press Release) – Agtegra’s Propane Division, currently located at 721 S. State Street, will be moving to Agtegra’s Bath location located at 39278 133rd St, Aberdeen SD 57401.

The move, which is scheduled to take place by the end of November, will provide more room and a safer environment to house the Agtegra Propane Division.

“We are excited to offer a more extensive and open display at the innovation center to showcase a more broad product offering,” said Kent Borstad, Agtegra Vice President for Energy. “The safety of our member-owners is a core value.  The move from State Street will allow all customers to safely and conveniently do business with Agtegra propane.”

In anticipation of the move, weather permitting, Agtegra will be performing a propane flare off from its two industrial tanks on Wednesday, November 11, beginning at 8 a.m. before transporting the propane tanks to its new location. The flaring is scheduled to last from six to eight hours and will have a five-foot high approximate flame.

“Propane flare-offs typically take place if a tank is in need of service or is going to be moved,” said Beth Locken, Agtegra Director of Safety and Environmental. “Generally, the liquid propane is transferred to another tank and the remaining pressure is burned off to evacuate the space of any residual pressure. For Agtegra, this is a basic process in prepping the tank for safe transport to the new facility.

Aberdeen Emergency Management, the Aberdeen Police Department, and the Aberdeen Fire Department are aware of the flaring and will be on site to assist Agtegra.

A portion of 8th Ave SE, just south of the location will be blocked off during the operation.

Flaring is the controlled burning of natural gas and a common practice in oil/gas exploration, production, and processing operations. A flare system consists of a flare stack and pipes that feed gas to the stack. Flare size and brightness are related to the type and amount of gas or liquids in the flare stack. Flares generate heat and noise. Large flares can be quite noisy because of the volume and velocity of the gas going through the flare stack.

“Because our current propane facility is located in a residential area, we wanted the Aberdeen community to know ahead of time what was happening,” said Tim Beckham, Agtegra Director of Communications. “Flaring is a very safe practice and Agtegra will have health and safety professionals on site during the entire operation.”