About the Industry
Downstream Oil & Gas Sector
Where petroleum meets you –
the consumer
The downstream industry is where petroleum meets you – the consumer. The downstream industry includes crude oil refineries, gas processing plants, petrochemical plants, transportation networks (truck, rail, pipeline and marine), retail gas stations and natural gas distribution companies. Downstream also includes the sales and marketing of refined petroleum products to wholesalers, industrial and commercial customers.
There are 18 refineries across Canada, which are hard at work transforming crude oil from the upstream sector, into the petroleum products for individual and commercial consumers. The average full product petroleum refinery in Canada can process over 293,000 cubic metres per day of heavy and light crude oil.
For more information on the downstream oil and gas sector, visit:
- Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (CPPI) Association of major Canadian companies involved in the refining, distribution, and/or marketing of petroleum products.
Products
The downstream sector provides the thousands of products we use in our everyday lives and there are about 3,000 products made from petroleum. From the moment your alarm wakes you up, you brush your teeth, slip on your runners and pump up the tires on your bike, you are using petroleum products. Here are just a few of the thousands of products you may use that are made from oil and gas:
Transportation
- Gasoline, motor oil, lubricants, dashboards, windshield wipers, steering wheels, floor mats, asphalt, construction cones.
- Fuel for planes and ships.
Household Items
- Natural gas for hot water tanks, clothes dryers and barbecues.
- Outdoor items such as garden tools, lawn furniture, artificial turf, paints, fertilizers, hoses.
- Household items including piano keys, Venetian blinds, rugs, plastic containers, candles, flooring, flashlights, lamps, cleansers, dusters, mops, foam pillows.
Leisure and Entertainment
- Sporting gear such as inline skates, skis, tents, sunglasses, helmets, runners.
- Electronics like cameras, digital music players, computers, TVs.
Apparel and Accessories
- Clothing like polar fleece, polyester, vinyl, shoes, boots, belts, badges, purses.
Medical and Personal Hygiene
- Personal items including toothpaste, toothbrushes, lip balm, lipstick, bubble gum.
- Medical items such as gloves, syringes, medicines, containers, equipment.
- And much more!
