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Crude oil and natural gas: Supply and disposition, May 2016

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Released: 2016-08-09

Canada produced 14.7 million cubic metres (92.8 million barrels) of crude oil and equivalent products in May, down 11.6% compared with the same month in 2015.

(The surveys that provide estimates for this release were recently redesigned. For more information, see note to readers.)

Chart 1  Chart 1: Production of crude oil and equivalent products
Production of crude oil and equivalent products

Fort McMurray wildfire affects crude oil production

In May, the wildfire in northern Alberta and ongoing maintenance at oil sands facilities contributed to a decrease in crude oil and equivalent production.

The decline was primarily driven by a drop in synthetic crude oil production, down 50.1% to 1.7 million cubic metres in May. This was the lowest level of synthetic crude oil production since July 2005. Two major Canadian oil sands facilities are located in Fort McMurray and were directly affected by the wildfire.

Production of non-upgraded crude bitumen dropped 1.8% to 6.0 million cubic metres in May, while light and medium crude oil declined 4.0% to 3.8 million cubic metres, and heavy crude oil fell 7.7% to 1.9 million cubic metres.

Non-upgraded crude bitumen production in May consisted of mined crude bitumen (2.6 million cubic metres), plus in situ crude bitumen (5.2 million cubic metres), less crude bitumen sent for further processing (1.8 million cubic metres).

Chart 2  Chart 2: Production of crude oil and equivalent products by type of product
Production of crude oil and equivalent products by type of product

Alberta accounted for 74.4% of Canada's total production of crude oil and equivalent products in May. Production in Alberta totalled 11.0 million cubic metres in May, down 16.3% from the same month in 2015 to its lowest level since September 2011.

Exports and imports

Exports of crude oil and equivalent products amounted to 14.0 million cubic metres, down 1.2% from May 2015. Meanwhile, imports to Canadian refineries increased 13.0% to 3.4 million cubic metres, the highest level since August 2013.

Chart 3  Chart 3: Exports and imports of crude oil and equivalent products
Exports and imports of crude oil and equivalent products

Inventories

Closing inventories of crude oil and equivalent products totalled 17.3 million cubic metres in May. Closing inventories held by pipelines and terminals were 11.1 million cubic metres, while those from fields and plants totalled 2.2 million cubic metres, and those held at refineries were 4.0 million cubic metres.

Natural gas

Canadian marketable production of natural gas totalled 12.9 billion cubic metres in May.

Additional information on natural gas is available in "Natural gas transmission, storage and distribution," published in The Daily on July 22, 2016.

  Note to readers

As part of Statistics Canada's Integrated Business Statistics Program, the surveys that supply estimates to the crude oil and natural gas supply and disposition program have changed. As of the March 2016 reference month, content and methodology changes were made to the Monthly Oil and Other Liquid Petroleum Products Pipeline Survey to provide readers with more detailed industry data.

For more information, consult Monthly Oil and Other Liquid Petroleum Products Pipeline Survey.

Data on crude oil and equivalent products, previously found in CANSIM table 126-0001, are now published in CANSIM table 126-0003. While CANSIM table 126-0001 will remain available for reference, users should exercise caution when comparing its estimates with those of the new CANSIM table.

As of the March 2016 reference month, information on the disposition of crude oil and equivalent products to refineries by province and on exports to the United States by district were discontinued. New data on imports, exports, input to Canadian refineries and inventories were added to CANSIM table 126-0003.

Data on crude oil and equivalent products in this release are expressed in cubic metres, while data in CANSIM are available in both cubic metres and barrels.

Data are subject to revision.

Crude oil and equivalent products include heavy, light and medium crude oil, synthetic crude oil, crude bitumen, condensate, and pentanes plus.

Export data are a combination of National Energy Board data and survey data reported by respondents.

Import data include imports of crude oil by refineries and by others.

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.

The crude oil and natural gas supply and disposition program 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 within their respective jurisdictions.

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; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).

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