Pipeline transportation of oil and other liquid
petroleum products, March 2017
Released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time in The Daily, Friday, May 19, 2017
Crude oil receipts
Oil pipelines received 21.2 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products from Canadian fields and plants
in March, up 10.3% compared to the same month in 2016. Of this total, 20.6 million cubic metres (97%) were
received from Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Chart 1
Pipeline receipts of crude oil from fields and plants
thousands of cubic metres
25 000
20 000
15 000
10 000
5 000
0
Apr.
2016
Mar.
2017
Source(s): CANSIM table 133-0006.
Crude oil deliveries
In March, pipelines delivered 7.2 million cubic metres of oil to Canadian refineries, a 3.5% decrease compared with
the same month in 2016. Just under two-thirds (61%) of crude oil was sent to refineries in the western provinces,
while the remainder (39%) was delivered to Ontario and Quebec refineries.
Exports and imports
Oil pipelines exported 14.8 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products to the United States. March
exports were 4.8% higher than the same month in 2016, and crude oil imports rose 9.4% to 2.3 million cubic
metres.
The Daily, Friday, May 19, 2017
Chart 2
Exports and imports of crude oil by pipeline
thousands of cubic metres
16 000
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
6 000
4 000
2 000
0
Mar.
Mar.
2017
2016
Imports
Exports
Source(s): CANSIM table 133-0006.
Closing inventories
Closing inventories of crude oil and equivalent products totaled 12.4 million cubic metres, up 1.7% compared with
the same month in 2016.
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Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X
The Daily, Friday, May 19, 2017
Chart 3
Pipeline closing inventories of crude oil & equivalent products
thousands of cubic metres
14 000
12 000
10 000
8 000
6 000
4 000
2 000
0
Mar.
Mar.
2017
2016
Source(s): CANSIM table 133-0006.
Table 1
Pipeline transportation of crude oil and equivalent products
October
2016
November
2016
December
2016
January
2017
February
2017
March
2017
12 253 105
23 015 250
2 494 703
15 355 453
7 319 276
12 315 067
12 315 067
20 478 387
2 257 856
13 644 165
6 851 072
12 804 492
12 804 492
21 185 270
2 260 789
14 823 884
7 155 211
12 399 559
cubic metres
Opening inventories
Receipts from fields and plants
Imports
Exports
Deliveries to refineries
Closing inventories
11 738 557
20 770 012
2 153 318
13 770 623
7 074 913
12 162 006
12 162 006
21 890 666
1 933 855
14 451 087
7 138 364
12 293 498
12 293 498
21 950 145
2 316 388
15 028 123
7 034 187
12 253 105
Source(s): CANSIM table 133-0006.
Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X
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The Daily, Friday, May 19, 2017
In celebration of the country's 150th birthday, Statistics Canada is presenting
snapshots from our rich statistical history.
Pipelines have been used to transport crude oil and equivalent products in Canada for
over 150 years. In 1862, Canada built one of the first oil pipelines in the world,
connecting the Petrolia oilfields to nearby Sarnia, Ontario.
By 1947, oil pipelines were operating in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. The 1950s marked the discovery of an
abundant supply of crude oil in Western Canada and the expansion of the pipeline network across the country.
In 1958, Canadian pipelines transported over 44 million cubic metres of crude oil and equivalent products.
By 2016, the volume had increased to over 330 million cubic metres distributed to Canadian refineries and
exported to foreign markets. This is roughly equal to filling more than 1,000 supertankers (very large crude
carriers).
Currently, there are over 46,000 kilometres of gathering and transmission pipelines in Canada that transport
just under six million barrels of crude oil and equivalent products every day. Nearly four-fifths of pipelines are
concentrated in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada's top petroleum-producing provinces.
Pipelines continue to be the primary mode of transporting large quantities of crude oil and petroleum products
to export markets. In total, more than 9 out of every 10 barrels exported by Canada reach foreign markets
through pipelines.
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Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X
The Daily, Friday, May 19, 2017
Note to readers
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 of
Canada.
Deliveries to refineries include deliveries to upgrader/refinery complexes.
Available in CANSIM: table 133-0006.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2148.
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; [email protected]) or Media
Relations (613-951-4636; [email protected]).
Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 11-001-X
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