Supply and disposition of refined petroleum products, May 2016
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Released: 2016-08-15
8.2 million cubic metres
May 2016
-7.2% 
(12-month change)
Refinery receipts lower because of Fort McMurray wildfire
In May, the wildfire in northern Alberta led to the lowest level of crude oil production in Canada since June 2011.
Canadian refineries received 6.6 million cubic metres of crude oil in May, a 14.4% decrease from the same month in 2015, and the lowest level since April 1995.
Chart 1
Crude oil production and refinery receipts
In May, refinery receipts of domestic crude oil fell 31.8% compared with the same month the previous year to 3.2 million cubic metres, the lowest level since April 1973.
The two largest refining provinces, Alberta (-40.7%) and Ontario (-36.9%), reported the most notable declines in receipts of domestic crude oil.
Chart 2
Domestic crude oil receipts
In May, crude oil imports increased 13.0% from the same month in 2015 to 3.4 million cubic metres. Imports accounted for 51.1% of total crude oil received at refineries in Canada in May, compared with an average of 32.6% over the previous 12 months.
Crude oil inventories held at refineries were up 10.3% to 4.0 million cubic metres in May compared with the same month the previous year.
Production decrease and sales increase
Year over year, refinery production decreased 7.2% to 8.2 million cubic metres in May, while domestic sales of refined petroleum products rose 2.7% to 8.9 million cubic metres.
Imports and exports down
Canada imported 1.2 million cubic metres of refined petroleum products in May, a 3.0% decline compared with the same month in 2015.
Exports of refined petroleum products were down 19.7% from the same month the previous year to 2.0 million cubic metres in May.
Inventories decrease
Closing inventories of refined petroleum products held at refineries in May decreased 19.1% from the same month the previous year to 6.7 million cubic metres. The decline was attributable to lower inventories of motor gasoline (-25.6%) and diesel (-26.1%).
Chart 3
Closing inventories of refined petroleum products
Note to readers
The Monthly Refined Petroleum Products survey collects data on the activities of every Canadian refinery involved in the production of refined petroleum products (North American Industry Classification System [NAICS] 324000) and of selected major distributors of these products (NAICS 412000).
Domestic sales include all sales by reporting companies, excluding exports and sales to other reporting companies.
Refinery receipts of crude oil and equivalent hydrocarbons (condensates and pentanes plus) from domestic and foreign sources are for refinery consumption or storage.
Contact information
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