Upstream (petroleum industry)The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major sectors: upstream (also called exploration and production or E&P), midstream and downstream. The upstream sector includes searching for potential underground or underwater crude oil and natural gas fields, drilling exploratory wells, and subsequently operating the wells that recover and bring the crude oil or raw natural gas to the surface.Downstream (petroleum industry)The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major sectors: upstream, midstream, and downstream. The downstream sector is the refining of petroleum crude oil and the processing and purifying of raw natural gas, as well as the marketing and distribution of products derived from crude oil and natural gas.
Petroleum industryThe petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline (petrol). Petroleum is also the raw material for many chemical products, including pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, and plastics.
Petroleum productPetroleum products are materials derived from crude oil (petroleum) as it is processed in oil refineries. Unlike petrochemicals, which are a collection of well-defined usually pure organic compounds, petroleum products are complex mixtures. Most petroleum is converted into petroleum products, which include several classes of fuels.
Natural gasNatural gas (also gas, methane gas or fossil gas) is a fossil fuel, naturally occurring in geological formations. Typically, the gas is a mix of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium. Methane is a colorless and odorless gas, and, after carbon dioxide, is the second-greatest greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.
Oil refineryFacility that processes crude oilAn oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processplant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas and petroleum naphtha.
Tank truckA tank truck, gas truck, fuel truck, or tanker truck (American English) or tanker (British English) is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquids or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroadtank cars, which are also designed to carry liquid loads. Many variants exist due to the wide variety of liquids that can be transported.
Oil tankerShip that carries petroleumAn oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries. Product tankers, generally much smaller, are designed to move refined products from refineries to points near consuming markets.
PipelineHDPE pipeline on a mine site in AustraliaA pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. Industry datasets indicate the length of the global trunk/transmission pipeline network is on the order of ~2.19 million km by 2025, with North America accounting for ~44%. The United States had 65%, Russia had 8%, and Canada had 3%, thus 76% of all pipeline were in these three countries.
SulfurChemical element with atomic number 16 (S)O↑S↓Sephosphorus ← sulfur → chlorine
Natural-gas processingNatural-gas processing is a range of industrial processes designed to purify raw natural gas by removing contaminants such as solids, water, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), mercury and higher molecular mass hydrocarbons (condensate) to produce pipeline quality dry natural gas for pipeline distribution and final use. Some of the substances which contaminate natural gas have economic value and are further processed or sold.Natural-gas condensateNatural-gas condensate, also called natural-gas liquids, is a low-density mixture of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as gaseous components in the raw natural gas produced from many natural-gas fields. Some gas species within the raw natural gas will condense to a liquid state if the temperature is reduced to below the hydrocarbon dew point temperature at a set pressure.
Petroleum industryThe petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline (petrol). Petroleum is also the raw material for many chemical products, including pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, and plastics.Petroleum productPetroleum products are materials derived from crude oil (petroleum) as it is processed in oil refineries. Unlike petrochemicals, which are a collection of well-defined usually pure organic compounds, petroleum products are complex mixtures. Most petroleum is converted into petroleum products, which include several classes of fuels.Natural gasNatural gas (also gas, methane gas or fossil gas) is a fossil fuel, naturally occurring in geological formations. Typically, the gas is a mix of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium. Methane is a colorless and odorless gas, and, after carbon dioxide, is the second-greatest greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.Oil refineryFacility that processes crude oilAn oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial processplant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas and petroleum naphtha.Tank truckA tank truck, gas truck, fuel truck, or tanker truck (American English) or tanker (British English) is a motor vehicle designed to carry liquids or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to railroadtank cars, which are also designed to carry liquid loads. Many variants exist due to the wide variety of liquids that can be transported.Oil tankerShip that carries petroleumAn oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries. Product tankers, generally much smaller, are designed to move refined products from refineries to points near consuming markets.PipelineHDPE pipeline on a mine site in AustraliaA pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. Industry datasets indicate the length of the global trunk/transmission pipeline network is on the order of ~2.19 million km by 2025, with North America accounting for ~44%. The United States had 65%, Russia had 8%, and Canada had 3%, thus 76% of all pipeline were in these three countries.SulfurChemical element with atomic number 16 (S)O↑S↓Sephosphorus ← sulfur → chlorineNatural-gas processingNatural-gas processing is a range of industrial processes designed to purify raw natural gas by removing contaminants such as solids, water, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), mercury and higher molecular mass hydrocarbons (condensate) to produce pipeline quality dry natural gas for pipeline distribution and final use. Some of the substances which contaminate natural gas have economic value and are further processed or sold.Natural-gas condensateNatural-gas condensate, also called natural-gas liquids, is a low-density mixture of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as gaseous components in the raw natural gas produced from many natural-gas fields. Some gas species within the raw natural gas will condense to a liquid state if the temperature is reduced to below the hydrocarbon dew point temperature at a set pressure.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.