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Natural gas transmission, storage and distribution, February 2017

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Released: 2017-04-24

Natural gas transmission pipelines received 492.0 million gigajoules of natural gas from fields, gathering systems and plants in February, a 3.6% decrease compared with the same month in 2016. Seven provinces posted receipts, with Alberta (68.4%) and British Columbia (28.4%) holding the majority.

Natural gas transmission and distribution systems delivered 197.3 million gigajoules to industrial consumers, 95.3 million gigajoules to residential consumers and 77.8 million gigajoules to commercial and institutional consumers in February.

Provincial deliveries

In Alberta, February deliveries of natural gas totalled 157.4 million gigajoules, a 15.4% increase compared to the same month in 2016. The majority (74.7%) were delivered to the industrial sector. Alberta industrial deliveries accounted for 31.8% of the natural gas consumed in Canada.

In Ontario, 116.9 million gigajoules of natural gas were delivered, a 3.9% decrease compared with February 2016. The residential sector received 42.8% of these deliveries, while the commercial and industrial sectors received 28.9% and 28.4%, respectively.

Chart 1  Chart 1: Natural gas inventories
Natural gas inventories

Opening and closing inventories

Opening inventories of natural gas in Canadian facilities totalled 756.9 million gigajoules. Inventories decreased 9.7% in February to close at 683.5 million gigajoules. This was the fifth consecutive month of net withdrawals from storage.

Closing inventories in Western Canada decreased 7.5% to 484.8 million gigajoules, while closing inventories in Central Canada decreased 14.7% to 198.7 million gigajoules.

Exports and imports

Canada exported 270.5 million gigajoules of natural gas by pipeline to the United States in February, up 2.6% from the same month in 2016. Imports of natural gas from the United States rose 73.7% to 106.9 million gigajoules compared to February 2016.

Chart 2  Chart 2: Canadian imports and exports of natural gas
Canadian imports and exports of natural gas

Telling Canada's story in numbers; #ByTheNumbers

In celebration of the country's 150th birthday, Statistics Canada is presenting snapshots from our rich statistical history.

Natural gas has been a part of Canada's energy system since it was first discovered in New Brunswick in 1859. In 1883, natural gas was discovered in southern Alberta. Canada's first offshore discovery was made south of Sable Island, Nova Scotia, in 1967.

In 1967, Canada's centennial celebration year, natural gas companies produced more than 37 billion cubic metres of marketable gas. By 2016, production was almost 160 billion cubic metres, distributed to over 6.7 million homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and other institutions. It is estimated that more than 20 million Canadians currently benefit from the deliveries made by natural gas utilities.

Natural gas is abundant, easy to transport through pipelines and burns more cleanly than other hydrocarbons. Given these properties, natural gas has become a principal fuel for many residential, commercial and industrial consumers. About one-third of Canada's energy needs are now met by natural gas.

Canadian natural gas companies operate numerous above ground and underground storage facilities, along with more than 330,000 kilometres of transmission and distribution pipelines. That's enough to circle the earth eight times.

Led by Alberta and British Columbia, every province and two territories have some natural gas resources. In 2015, the International Energy Agency recognized Canada as the fourth-largest natural gas producing nation, accounting for just under 5% of the world total. Canada has enough natural gas reserves to meet current national energy demand for 300 years.

  Note to readers

Data for January have been revised.

In January 2016, changes were made to the Monthly Natural Gas Transmission Survey and the Monthly Natural Gas Distribution Survey. In addition, the Monthly Natural Gas Storage Survey was introduced to provide measures on gas storage characteristics related to inventories and flows.

Storage data are now published in CANSIM table 129-0005, transmission data in CANSIM table 129-0006 and distribution data in CANSIM table 129-0007. CANSIM tables 129-0001, 129-0002, 129-0003 and 129-0004 will remain available for reference purposes.

Definitions

Data on natural gas no longer correspond to marketable natural gas but represent natural gas from fields, gas-gathering systems and gas plants.

Natural gas deliveries (termed "sales" in releases prior to January 2016) include deliveries to industrial, commercial and institutional, and residential consumers.

Opening inventories correspond to inventories as of the first day of the reference month, while closing inventories correspond to inventories as of the last day of the reference month. For example, the reference period for the opening inventory in January was January 1, while the reference period for the closing inventory was January 31.

Pipeline fuel is used to power compressors to move gas through pipelines.

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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