2. CRUDE OIL PRODUCT
EXPLORATION & REFINING DISTRIBUTION &
PRODUCTION SALES
DOWNSTREAM
3. The petroleum industry can be divided into three broad segments:
Crude oil exploration and production
Refining &
Product distribution and sales.
Crude oil exploration and production is commonly referred to as the
“Upstream”. Refining and product sales are generally referred to as the
“Downstream”.
As the industry is globalising new major companies are being formed,
particularly in Russia, China, India and Brazil.
These companies are exhibiting global ambition both in the upstream and
downstream.
4. The petroleum industry can be divided into three broad segments:
crude oil exploration and production, refining and product
distribution and sales.
The downstream oil sector is a term commonly used to refer to the
selling and distribution of natural gas and products derived from
crude oil.
The downstream sector includes petroleum product distribution,
retail outlets and natural gas distribution companies.
5. CHARACTERISTICS UPSTREAM REFINING DISTRIBUTION &
SALES
SOURCE RESOURCE MANUFACTURING MARKETING
EXTRACTION
• Revenue depends • Revenue depends • Revenue depends on
KEY DRIVERS on absolute price on margin margin
• Access to resources • Location • Location
• Technical skills • Configuration • Marketing skills
• Technical skills • Economy of scale
FINANCIAL Highly capital Highly capital Low capital relative
RESOURCE intensive intensive to other segments
Often highly taxed Subject to corporate Subject to corporate
GOVERNMENT taxes taxes. Products
TAXATION highly taxed in
Europe
6. Crude Oil Distillation
LPG LPG
Light St. Run
Gasoline
Naphtha Jet Fuel / Kero
Distillates Diesel /
Further
Crude Oil Refining Heating Oils
Gas Oils
Bunker/Fuel Oils
Residual
(0 - 40%) Misc. Products
• Coke (carbon)
• Sulfur
8. There are three main channels of sale for products from a refinery to
the consumer : Retail, Wholesale and Bulk.
The wholesale (or distributor) sector supplies to customers in small
loads either directly from a refinery by truck or from a distribution
terminal that is fed from a refinery or imports.
Bulk sales are large volume sales that are generally made directly by
the refiner or by a large trading company. Typical customers would be
a petrochemicals plant or nearby power station.
10. Refined products are traded in reference to prices at a few key
locations in the world.
Their prices are set in relation to supply/demand pressures that
are specific to the products markets.
Market prices can be used to set transfer prices between a
refinery and a distribution affiliate, so as to understand how
much margin is made in both segments.