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Overview of the Canadian Downstream Petroleum Industry

This article provides a cradle to grave description of the Canadian downstream petroleum industry, from the sources of crude oil to the delivery of manufactured petroleum products. All aspects of the oil supply chain are examined, including petroleum refining, product manufacturing, and the marketing and retailing of finished products to businesses and individual consumers.

The regional structure of the industry is explored, noting the fact that in Canada three major regions – Western Canada, Ontario and Quebec/Atlantic Canada – have historically been self-sufficient.

Of particular interest is the analysis of retail gasoline prices, which reveals that in spite of the recent volatility in gasoline markets, once prices are adjusted for inflation, current crude oil and gasoline prices are not significantly different than they were in the early 1980s.

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