Oxygen availability and coronavirus

[michael-fisch]

Sorry, I have a hard time believing that there is an actual shortage of O2 in Washington state. Medical O2 demand hasn't changed much, ABO O2 demand is dictated by Boeing and they haven't been using very much for over a year, and Technical O2 (which comes out of the same container as Medical O2) demand can't be very high with all the stay at home orders. The only thing left is the truck driver that either picks up or delivers may decide that walking into a dive store to deliver 2-3 bottles just isn't worth the risk.
Michael

 

[bletso]

Oxygen supplies should not be a problem, especially if manufacturing plants scale back. All the O2 comes from the same vat. The difference is analysing and documentation. Now if the gas plants shut down....

 

[rjack321]

FWIW, I confirmed the rumor. The dive shop manager told me they can't get oxygen because it's being reserved for medical use. They have enough on hand to supply nitrox to divers, but won't fill oxygen cylinders or do trimix and such.

I'm curious what you mean about dive shop arm-waving? If they can't get oxygen, they can't get oxygen. I'm not sure suppliers would lie to them about it, and I'm not sure why the shop wouldn't want to sell oxygen if they had it.

Shrugs
There is definitely no shortage of O2, its made in vast quantities for a whole bunch of industries - including many that aren't actually operating right now. Airgas wont sell to them because gas shop deliveries are non-essential business.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Shrugs
There is definitely no shortage of O2, its made in vast quantities for a whole bunch of industries - including many that aren't actually operating right now. Airgas wont sell to them because gas shop deliveries are non-essential business.

The non-essential businesses aspect makes some sense, though oxygen deliveries shut down before the order to close non-essential businesses came down.

 

[michael-fisch]

As someone with his own gas contract, I've learned a few things over the years.

1. If you don't pay your bills on time, don't expect to get deliverys on time.

2. Occasional small gifts to the gas supply dispatcher work wonders - christmas card, occasional flowers/chocolate for the girl/lady doing the dispatching, and a soft drink for the driver who unloads the bottles are also appreciated.

3. Helping out with the loading/unloading is also greatly appreciated.

What isn't appreciated is not being prepared when the driver shows up, going over stairs, and doors that automaticly close and can't be blocked open.

Michael

 

[kelemvor]

If all you want is nitrox, just go to a shop with a membrane system.

 

[michael-fisch]

If all you want is nitrox, just go to a shop with a membrane system.

With the exception of the northern Keys, Cave Country, and San Diego, those operations are rarer than hen's teeth

Michael

 

[kelemvor]

With the exception of the northern Keys, Cave Country, and San Diego, those operations are rarer than hen's teeth

Michael

Ah. They're pretty common in my area (Tampa Bay, FL) so I assumed that would hold true elsewhere. About half the shops in my town have membrane systems. of course I haven't been to all the shops so that ratio might be incorrect.

 

[tridacna]

If all you want is nitrox, just go to a shop with a membrane system.

Which one exactly? All mine over here are closed

 

[rjack321]

Ah. They're pretty common in my area (Tampa Bay, FL) so I assumed that would hold true elsewhere. About half the shops in my town have membrane systems. of course I haven't been to all the shops so that ratio might be incorrect.

The only shop here with a membrane system went bankrupt - its far too expensive to own or lease 2 compressors for the volumes. At least a couple of cave country shops use LOx instead of a membrane.

Dive shops are non-essential businesses here but I think a couple of them fancy themselves as suppliers for first responders so are trying to stay open. Not sure why firefighters need to buy air from a dive shop but...