Fuel Distribution
A complex network of pipelines, terminals and trucks operate behind the scenes 24/7 to ensure a safe and reliable supply of transportation fuels to Canadian businesses and consumers.
Overview
Once gasoline and diesel are ready for shipping from the refinery they are sent to product terminals via pipelines, ships, rail and trucks; a complex distribution network which is the product of many decades of investment and innovation. From product terminals, the fuels are then trucked to retail outlets. There is a multitude of safety systems, processes and mechanisms in place to ensure that products are transported safely to their destination.
The following diagram shows the petroleum products’ journey from the refinery to the customer:
Getting fuels to a retail site near you
The fuel distribution network is centred largely around regions, or supply orbits, each of which operates independently:
- Western refineries supply all product demand from Vancouver to Thunder Bay, including the northern territories.
- Refiners in southern Ontario provide product to as far as Sault Ste-Marie, northern Ontario and as far east as Ottawa.
- Montréal and Québec City facilities supply the St. Lawrence River corridor from Toronto to the Gaspé Peninsula, as well as the more remote areas of northern Québec and occasionally parts of the Arctic.
- Atlantic refineries supply their own region as well as the North, and the U.S. eastern seaboard.
