The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major sectors: upstream, midstream, and downstream. The downstream sector is the refining of petroleum crude oil and the processing and purifying of raw natural gas, as well as the marketing and distribution of products derived from crude oil and natural gas.

What is an example of a downstream?

*Examples of Downstream Processes: In the oil and gas industry, the downstream process consists of converting crude oil into other products and then selling those products to customers. Thus, oil refineries represent structures that operate within the downstream process.

What is downstream and upstream?

Stream – The moving water in a river is called a stream.

Upstream – If the boat is flowing in the opposite direction to the stream, it is called upstream. In this case, the net speed of the boat is called the upstream speed. Downstream – If the boat is flowing along the direction of the stream, it is called downstream.