Petrochemicals

The petrochemical industry is the third largest manufacturing sector in Canada in terms of value-added products and sales. The industry is a major contributor to Canada's thriving economy.

• In 2010, exports of petrochemicals were $2.4 billion and imports were $0.9 billion for a strong trade surplus of $1.5 billion.
• Canada's petrochemical facilities produce chemical petroleum products including plastics, synthetic fibres, rubber products and fertilizers, to name a few. Petrochemicals are used in diverse industrial sectors such as forestry, textiles, construction and mining.
• The Canadian petroleum and petrochemical industry recently underwent major changes due to amendments in environmental regulations. The industry applies the latest technologies to control the discharge of gaseous, liquid and solid wastes.

Petrochemical Development

In Canada, ethylene is the primary petrochemical product made in the largest quantity from whichever feedstock is used. Alberta's plants are based almost entirely on natural gas feedstocks (methane and ethane). Ethylene is produced in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec and used at nearby plants to make derivatives including ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride monomer, and polymerized to synthetic resins including polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and synthetic rubber.

One of the largest ethylene and polyethylene sites in North America is at Joffre, Alberta. The site consists of three ethylene and two polyethylene facilities. Close to three billion kilograms of ethylene and over 998 million kilograms of polyethylene are produced annually.

Petrochemicals - Resource Center