Downstream
Downstream manages different Oil Products and Chemicals activities as part of an integrated value chain that trades and refines crude oil and other feedstocks into a range of products which are moved and marketed around the world for domestic, industrial and transport use.
The products we sell include gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen and sulphur. We also produce and sell petrochemicals for industrial use worldwide. Our Downstream organisation also manages Oil Sands activities (the extraction of bitumen from mined oil sands and its conversion into synthetic crude oil).
Downstream includes the Shell Trading and Supply organisation, which trades crude oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), electricity, refined products, chemical feedstocks and environmental products. Trading and Supply combines our network of trading companies, shipping and maritime capabilities and an integrated network of supply and distribution activities.
Shell Trading and Supply is one of the largest transport and trading operations globally with its main hubs in London, Houston, Singapore, Dubai and Rotterdam. It also has trading offices in Canada, the Bahamas and Spain.
Marketing represents Shell’s customer-facing businesses. We market our products around the world for domestic, industrial and transport use. Shell is the world’s largest mobility retailer by number of sites with around 46,000 Shell-branded service stations operating in close to 80 countries at the end of 2020. We operate different models across these markets, from full ownership of retail sites to brand licensing agreements.
The earnings of our Downstream business are dependent on demand for oil products and chemicals, as well as on the availability of refineries and chemical plants. In 2020, Downstream earnings decreased compared with 2019 because of the economic environment as the COVID-19 pandemic led to lower demand and lower overall margins.
