The petroleum industry's
importance to Canadians cannot be
underestimated. Canada is the third-largest producer
of natural gas and the eleventh-largest producer of
crude oil in the world. This has resulted in a
multi-billion dollar industry that is estimated to
employ almost half a million Canadians.
Petroleum products touch every
aspect of our daily lives. The list
is extensive—we use petroleum-based synthetics in
our clothing and bedding, plastics are shaped into
items for domestic and industrial use, and we heat our homes and
fuel our cars with oil and
gas. As the world’s heaviest users of energy per
capita, Canadians place great demands on the
petroleum industry.
The Canadian petroleum industry has a significant
challenge. How do oil and gas companies meet the
domestic and global needs of customers, while
protecting and preserving reserves? Although
Canada is fortunate in having a large endowment of
petroleum resources, there is a need to consider
future generations. Petroleum is not a renewable
resource and some stocks have already been
exhausted.
The extraction and use of oil and
gas also have environmental impacts and costs.
The industry is being challenged to be not only fiscally
but also environmentally and socially responsible. Because oil and natural gas
resources are found in specific regions, there are
also issues pertaining to "have" and "have not"
provinces. Industry regulation is an important issue
not only locally but also nationally and
internationally. As well, the industry also is a
contested area with respect to the the rights of
Aboriginal People.
This section of the website
presents the industry from exploration to production
and use. Reserves are discussed as are the companies
and organizations involved in the industry.
Different perspectives are presented through
examination of the history, the role of companies,
and the issues that face the industry. Each
subsection builds to create an in-depth look at how
petroleum resources were, are, and will be developed,
and the gradual progression towards responsible
development and wise use. Areas were there are
differences of opinion and conflicting points of
view are presented and explored, such as the Kyoto
Accord.
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