Flame Lit – Part V – A micro-blog series of energy definitions and quick facts to help improve energy literacy
photo/graphic by author
Gasoline
Most of us still use gasoline to get around in our cars. We certainly obsess over the prices at the pump! Where does our gas come from anyway?
Gasoline is a hydrocarbon. It is derived as one of the lighter fractions of crude oil and has molecules with C4-C12 carbon atoms and a boiling range of 30 – 225 C. It is made in a petroleum refinery along with other products such as jet fuel and diesel.
Canada has 14 refineries that make gasoline using mainly Canadian crude oil (73%) as feedstock. Western Canada has 6 refineries, Ontario has 4, Quebec and Atlantic Canada each have 2. Refineries tend to be located close to crude oil hubs (like near Edmonton) or close to ports or major cities where gasoline is used. Check them out on this map!
Western Canadian refineries use exclusively western crude. Eastern provinces use some western crude but also need to import from the U.S. and overseas because they aren’t as well connected to pipelines.
Watch this short video about refineries!
In 2023, Canada’s consumption of gasoline rose 2.6% from 2022 levels due to more people returning to work at the office, more registered motor vehicles, and more summer travel compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Once gasoline is produced, it is transported to one of 78 blending terminals in Canada where it is prepared for retail markets with final blending and additives. Ethanol (derived from crops) is also added to some blends. From here tanker trucks get the gas to your local service station!
A small amount of gasoline is imported to Canada. British Columbia imports some from Washington State refineries. Ontario and Quebec supplement what they make locally from the U.S. and The Netherlands and a few other sources. The breakdown can be seen in Figure 2 in this source!
And what’s with those gas prices anyway? Check out this awesome Canadian Fuels article!
Most Canadians still buy cars that run on gasoline, but in 2023, 11% of new cars registered were zero-emission vehicles.
Some quick facts on gasoline produced and used in Canada:
- Canada sold 43.6 billion litres of gasoline (or about 0.6 MMbpd – million barrels per day) in 2023.
- Canadian refineries use about 73.6 % Canadian crude oil to produce that gasoline and other RPP’s (refined petroleum products).
- In 2023 Canadian refineries operated at 89% capacity.
- The Irving Oil refinery in New Brunswick is Canada’s largest refinery with a 320,000 bpd capacity
- The US consumed 612.8 billion litres of gasoline in 2020.
- Gasoline represents 36% of all Canadian refinery product. Diesel is a close second at 33%.
- Canada has 11,948 gas stations.
Sources and more information can be found in these links:
[2] CER – Where does Canada’s gasoline come from? (cer-rec.gc.ca)?
3] Gasoline explained – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
[4] Gasoline Prices – Canadian Fuels Association
[5] Gasoline Prices
[6] Detailed North American Pipeline and Refinery Map
[7] CER Provincial and Territorial Energy Profiles
[8] Statistics Canada Motor Vehicle Fuel Sales
Alisa Caswell has a degree in chemical engineering. She spent twenty years working in the oil and gas industry, including roles in business development, operations, and energy conservation. You can follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
Alisa Caswell 