Downstream petroleum industry

The downstream petroleum industry has two major components:

• local distribution companies (LDCs) distribute and market natural gas to customers
• integrated petroleum products companies refine crude oil into marketable products that are delivered to their own outlets, independent marketers and wholesale and retail customers.

Local distribution companies take natural gas from transmission pipelines and deliver natural gas energy through 350,000 kilometres of lower pressure pipelines to Canadian homeowners, businesses, institutions and industrial users. For safety reasons, they add an odorant called mercaptan to the odorless gas in their systems and they also ensure that the pressure in the lines is appropriate for the type of service.

The Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (CPPI) is the main association representing the downstream segment of the petroleum industry. Collectively, CPPI member companies operate 17 refineries in Canada (representing 78 per cent of the country’s refining capacity) and supply about 9,000 branded service stations across the country.

Gasoline and diesel are sold through retail service stations and bulk dealers in Canada. Other products include aviation fuel, heating oil, lubricants, industrial chemicals, propane, butane and asphalt.

Impact Air        Greenhouse gases        VOCs Land        Spills        Site remediation Water        Effluent discharges        Marine spills Wastes        Used oil