Energy statistics, April 2022

Released: 2022-07-07

In April, primary energy production jumped 5.0% to 1.9 million terajoules compared with production in April 2021. This was the third consecutive monthly year-over-year increase for primary energy production, which includes production of crude oil, natural gas and coal, and primary electricity generation.

Production of natural gas (+9.9%) and crude oil (+6.9%) posted year-over-year gains in April. The generation of primary electricity, which includes hydroelectricity, nuclear and other renewables, increased 3.8%, following a 0.6% decline in March 2022. Meanwhile, coal production dropped 41.8%, the 11th consecutive decrease compared with the same month one year earlier.

On the strength of refined petroleum products (+9.9%), production of secondary energy products increased 8.9% year over year to 380.1 million terajoules in April.

Following a 7.7% year-over-year gain in March, exports of primary energy rose another 11.2% in April. Exports of natural gas (+18.7%) and crude oil (+2.8%) drove the year-over-year monthly increase.

The annual maintenance season at various energy-producing facilities and high energy prices were among the top influencing factors in April. Several refineries and upgraders, as well as some pipelines and nuclear plants, saw reduced activity as turnarounds began in April and will continue through the spring. Meanwhile, robust demand for travel and industrial consumption, coupled with ongoing concerns about market stability for some energy products, led to industrial prices for most energy products remaining at very high levels.

For more information on energy in Canada, including production, consumption, international trade and much more, please visit the Canadian Centre for Energy Information website and follow #energynews on social media.

Crude oil production up as the annual maintenance period at oil sands begins

Production of crude oil and equivalent products rose 7.1% to 22.8 million cubic metres in April, the third consecutive monthly year-over-year increase.

The overall gain was driven by oil sands extraction, up 9.2% to 14.6 million cubic metres. Production of synthetic crude rose 36.2% compared with April 2021 to 5.4 million cubic metres, while production of crude bitumen fell 2.2% to 9.2 million cubic metres.

In 2021, the annual maintenance period at upgraders was concentrated in April, curtailing the level of synthetic crude production at that time. Annual turnarounds in 2022 are expected to be quite extensive, affecting the period from April to June. In April 2022, average daily synthetic crude production (monthly production divided by the number of days per month) fell 8.0% from March, as some upgraders began maintenance.

Oil extraction rose 5.8% compared with April 2021 to 6.1 million cubic metres. Production of heavy crude oil continued to be the main driver, up 10.7% to 2.1 million cubic metres. Production of light and medium crude oil was 3.5% higher than in April 2021, at 4.1 million cubic metres.

Chart 1 
Production of crude oil, by type of product

According to the Raw Materials Price Index, the price of crude oil and bitumen dropped 7.2% in April, following significant monthly increases since the beginning of 2022. Despite the month-over-month price decrease in April, crude oil and bitumen prices were 72.9% higher than in April 2021. The US Energy Information Administration estimates that consumption of petroleum products in Canada fell 1.7% from March 2022.

Exports of crude oil and equivalent products were up 3.0% to 17.8 million cubic metres in April, compared with the same month one year earlier. Exports to the United States by pipeline rose 5.3% to 15.8 million cubic metres. In addition, exports to the United States by other means were up 3.5% to 1.8 million cubic metres, while exports to other countries dropped 52.6%.

Imports of crude oil and equivalent products fell 10.7% to 3.3 million cubic metres. Both imports by refineries (-11.3%) and imports by other entities (-9.7%) contributed to the decline in April.

Refinery production of petroleum products continues to increase in April

Production of finished petroleum products rose 7.1% to 8.7 million cubic metres in April. This was the 13th consecutive monthly year-over-year increase as production returned to levels similar to those observed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growth in April was driven by higher jet fuel production, up 138.6% to 0.5 million cubic metres. Jet fuel production continued to increase in sync with the recovery of the travel industry. By comparison, in April 2020, as the pandemic took hold and airline travel ground to a halt, the production of jet fuel bottomed out at 66.7 thousand cubic metres.

Production of distillate fuel oils rose 2.6% to 3.0 million cubic metres. Slightly mitigating the overall gain, production of motor gasoline fell 1.1% compared with April 2021 to 2.7 million cubic metres.

Renewable fuel production dropped 2.1% compared with April 2021 to 161.0 thousand cubic metres, the first decrease in four months. Production of renewable fuels other than ethanol fell 22.1% in April. Meanwhile, ethanol production was up 3.2%. Shipments of renewable fuels were down 6.6% to 156.3 thousand cubic metres.

Canadian demand for finished petroleum products rose 7.1% to 7.5 million cubic metres, on the heels of higher demand for motor gasoline (+12.0% to 3.3 million cubic metres) and jet fuel (+154.3% to 0.5 million cubic metres). Demand for these products has been growing as COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed and as the summer travel season is set to begin. In April, aircraft movements at Canada's major airports increased 15.7% from April 2021.

Demand for distillate fuel oils (-0.2%) and other petroleum products (-12.9%) fell, modestly mitigating the monthly increase.

Chart 2 
Domestic consumption of refined petroleum products in April 2020, 2021 and 2022, by type of product

According to the Industrial Product Price Index, prices for refined petroleum energy products rose 4.9% in April, following a 19.3% increase in March. The industrial price of jet fuel was up 51.0% and that of diesel rose 4.4%, compared with the previous month. By contrast, motor gasoline prices slipped 1.6% compared with March 2022, although they remained near the historically high levels.

Exports of finished petroleum products rose 3.2% in April compared with the same month a year earlier, attributable to growth in exports of distillate fuel oils (+8.5%), other refined petroleum products (+7.3%) and jet fuel (+90.0%). Exports of finished motor gasoline were down 53.5% compared with April 2021.

Meanwhile, imports of finished petroleum products declined 18.5% compared with April 2021 to 0.7 million cubic metres. Imports of most fuel types, including distillates, other petroleum products and motor gasoline, were down. Imports of jet fuel surged 578.7%, because of very low imports in April 2021.

Production and consumption of natural gas continue to increase

Production of marketable natural gas in Canada rose 9.9% year over year in April to 631.1 million gigajoules, marking the 13th consecutive monthly year-over-year increase. Overall, production in April 2022 was down slightly compared with the record production level of 639.0 million gigajoules in March. Average daily production (monthly production divided by the number of days per month) was 21.0 million gigajoules, the highest level recorded since this series began in January 2016.

Chart 3 
Marketable production of natural gas

Total deliveries to the residential, commercial and institutional, and industrial sectors rose 9.9% year over year in April to 389.7 million gigajoules. The most significant contributor to the increase was the industrial sector in Alberta, which consumed 190.8 million gigajoules, up 7.3% year over year.

In April, inventories of natural gas held in Canadian facilities fell 26.8% year over year to 430.2 million gigajoules.

Exports of natural gas by pipeline to the United States rose 18.7% to 274.1 million gigajoules.

Domestic and international demand for natural gas has been fuelling the sector, particularly since the onset of the war in Ukraine and the resulting instability in the European market for natural gas.

Meanwhile, imports of natural gas rose 7.1% to 99.0 million gigajoules in April. Ontario imported the vast majority of natural gas in Canada, and increased demand in this province was partly attributable to cooler temperatures in April compared with one year earlier, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada data on heating degree days.

According to the natural gas price index, Canadians paid 47.5% more for natural gas in April compared with the same month in 2021. Natural gas prices were up 16.5% compared with March 2022.

Electricity generation and consumption rise year over year

Electricity generation in Canada increased 3.3% year over year to 50.2 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in April 2022.

The gain was primarily attributable to a 4.4% boost in hydroelectric generation, which accounted for 62.1% of total generation. April also saw increases in electricity generated from combustible fuels (+0.9%) and wind turbines (+15.2%). Meanwhile, electricity generation from nuclear (-3.4%) and solar (-1.8%) declined. The decrease in nuclear electricity generation was partly attributable to the shutdown of one unit for refurbishment at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario and to annual maintenance at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station in New Brunswick.

Electricity consumption across Canada rose 3.9% year over year to 46.6 million MWh in April. Higher consumption in Quebec (+9.4% to 17.5 million MWh) contributed to the overall rise and may be partly attributable to cooler temperatures in April.

Chart 4 
Electricity generation and consumption

Exports of electricity to the United States rose 1.3% year over year to 4.6 million MWh. Decreases in exports from Quebec (-8.8%), Manitoba (-17.3%) and Ontario (-4.3%) were offset by a sizable increase from British Columbia (+39.7%). Exports from British Columbia reached their highest level for April since this series started in 2016. This may be attributable to a combination of factors, including lower demand in the province and a 288.3% year-over-year increase in precipitation levels, resulting in higher hydroelectric generation.

Imports of electricity from the United States rose 27.5% year over year to 1.0 million MWh. Imports to British Columbia increased 4.7%, while imports to Manitoba and Quebec were also up compared with April 2021. Despite the year-over-year increase, imports to Manitoba have been on a downward trajectory for the fourth consecutive month. The impact of the 2020/2021 drought on hydroelectric generation in Manitoba has been diminishing throughout 2022 as higher precipitation levels have started to replenish the province's reservoirs required for generation.

Coal production continues to decline

Total coal production was 3.1 million metric tonnes, down 20.3% compared with April 2021, marking the sixth consecutive monthly year-over-year decline. Coal exports increased 6.4% compared with April 2021 to 2.1 million tonnes, which represented 68.2% of total monthly production.

Coke production declined 7.5% year over year to 149.0 million tonnes in April.

Contact information

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