Pipeline transportation of oil and other liquid petroleum products, March 2018
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Released: 2018-05-18
Crude oil receipts
Pipelines received 22.0 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products from Canadian fields and plants in March, up 4.1% compared with the same month in 2017. The vast majority originated in Alberta (86.2%), followed by Saskatchewan (10.9%).
Chart 1
Pipeline receipts of crude oil from fields and plants
Crude oil deliveries
Deliveries by pipelines of crude oil to Canadian refineries decreased from 7.8 million cubic metres in March 2017 to 7.6 million cubic metres in March 2018 (-2.5%). Of this total, 62.4% was sent to refineries in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, while the balance was delivered to Ontario and Quebec refineries. Crude oil can be refined into various products, including gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel and jet fuel.
Exports and imports
Pipelines exported 15.6 million cubic metres of crude oil to the United States in March, an increase of 4.9% compared with the previous year. Imports by pipelines from the United States totalled 2.1 million cubic metres.
Chart 2
Exports and imports of crude oil by pipeline
Closing inventories
Closing inventories of crude oil in March totalled 12.8 million cubic metres, up 3.2% compared with the same month one year ago.
Propane, butane, and other products
Pipelines received 2.8 million cubic metres of propane, butane, and other products from Canadian fields and plants in March. Meanwhile, closing inventories of propane, butane and other products totalled 1.4 million cubic metres. Propane is commonly used for residential and commercial heating. Butane can be used in the production of synthetic rubber and as a blending component in gasoline. Ethane is commonly used to produce plastics, anti-freeze and detergents.
Quarterly review
For the quarter ending March 31, 2018, pipelines received 64.9 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products from Canadian fields and plants, up 0.4% from the same quarter a year earlier. Over the same period, exports of crude oil by pipelines rose 1.9% to 44.7 million cubic metres.
Note to readers
Data were revised in November 2016.
Starting with reference month January 2018, the survey's coverage of propane, butane, and other products was expanded to improve the data quality of the program. As a result, comparisons to past estimates may be affected by the increased coverage.
Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted.
For more information, consult the methodology document Monthly Oil and Other Liquid Petroleum Products Pipeline Survey.
Definitions
Crude oil and equivalent products include the following liquid hydrocarbons: crude oil, condensate, pentanes plus, and synthetic crude oil.
Inventories include inventories held in pipelines, tanks and terminals, but exclude inventories held in field batteries and inventories held in the United States.
Receipts from fields and plants include receipts from batteries and terminals associated with field separators and field upgraders, and receipts from gas processing plants and extraction plants. Receipts from fractionation plants are excluded.
Imports include receipts of foreign-produced oil, condensate, natural gas liquids and petroleum products destined for use in Canada.
Exports include deliveries of Canadian-produced oil, condensate, natural gas liquids and petroleum products destined for use outside Canada.
Deliveries to refineries include deliveries to upgrader/refinery complexes.
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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