Crude oil and natural gas: Supply and disposition, December 2014
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Released: 2015-03-09
Canada produced 18.9 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent in December, up 3.0% from the same month in 2013.
Crude bitumen production was the main contributor to the increase of total crude oil production in December, up 10.7% from the same month a year earlier to 6.0 million cubic metres. Light and medium crude oil also increased (up 0.7% to 4.7 million cubic metres) as did heavy crude oil (up 2.7% to 2.3 million cubic metres). Conversely, synthetic crude oil production decreased by 6.0% to 4.9 million cubic metres in December.
Exports up and imports down
Total exports of crude oil and equivalent were 14.9 million cubic metres in December, up 7.4% from the same month in 2013. Meanwhile, imports of crude oil and equivalent decreased by 9.0% to 2.9 million cubic metres.
Refinery receipts decline in December
Canadian refineries reported receipts of 8.2 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products in December, down 0.8% from the same month in 2013.
Decrease in marketable natural gas production
Total marketable natural gas production fell by 3.6% to 13.9 billion cubic metres in December compared with the same month in 2013.
Exports of natural gas decreased by 8.9% to 7.3 billion cubic metres, while imports edged down 0.6% to 2.1 billion cubic metres.
Both direct sales (-4.0% to 2.8 billion cubic metres) and total utility sales (-4.8% to 7.0 billion cubic metres) of natural gas declined in December.
Crude bitumen leads gains in crude oil production in 2014
Crude oil and equivalent production reached a record high 217.5 million cubic metres in 2014, up 7.5% from 2013. Crude bitumen production increased 19.1% to 69.8 million cubic metres, while other crude oil and equivalent products increased 2.8% to 147.7 million cubic metres.
Chart 1
Annual production of bitumen and other crude oil and equivalent
Exports trend upwards in 2014, imports down
Total exports of crude oil and equivalent increased 9.1% from 2013 to 165.9 million cubic metres in 2014. Canada ships about 97% of all crude exports to the United States. Export volumes to countries other than the United States have posted an average annual growth rate of 51.4% over the past five years. Imports decreased 15.6% from 2013 to 31.8 million cubic metres.
Chart 2
Annual exports and imports of crude oil and equivalent
On an annual basis, Canadian refineries received 4.6% less crude oil and equivalent in 2014 compared with 2013.
Note to readers
Data are subject to revision.
The Crude Oil and Natural Gas survey uses respondent data as well as administrative data provided by federal, provincial and territorial authorities responsible for the regulation of crude oil and natural gas production for the provinces and territories within their respective jurisdictions.
Export data are a combination of National Energy Board and survey data reported by respondents.
Except for crude oil production, all crude oil numbers include crude oil, condensate and pentanes plus.
Total marketable gas includes gas received from fields and processing or reprocessing plants after re-injection, field uses, processing plant and reprocessing plant shrinkage, plant use and losses have been deducted.
Additional information on natural gas is available in The Daily release "Natural gas transportation and distribution" of February 25.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
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