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 Statistical data
Statistical data on the UK downstream industry can be found in in UKPIA's Statistical Review.
This publication contains a range of information covering topics such as road transport fuels, alternative fuels, demand data, fuel prices, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and health and safety.
It is available in hard copy or it can be viewed in pdf format by clicking on the link below.
View 2008 Statistical Review (pdf) document
Aggregated financial performance of UKPIA member companies
The combined financial figures (based on published accounts) of the oil companies which are UKPIA members, show that over the last 5 years they averaged a return on their capital tied up in refining and marketing of about 7.5%, or equivalent to a profit of around 1p on every litre of fuel sold. This compares very poorly with other industries. For example, the average return on capital employed for all UK manufacturing companies over the same period was 9.3%.
The industry has long recognised the need to respond to the market forces affecting the sector. There is a continuing drive to increase efficiency by investment in new plant and equipment, as well as through merger of companies and rationalisation or sharing of facilities.
For the foreseeable future, fossil fuels remain the main source of energy for internal combustion engines, which will continue to provide motive power for the transport sector. However, it is likely that road fuels will continue to evolve with biofuels - conventional and perhaps advanced ones- and LPG/autogas playing a role in reducing emissions. By 2009 vehicles will become even cleaner and less polluting, with hybrid vehicles likely to become more common, particularly in urban areas.
However, the process is unlikely to stop there. A major goal for the downstream industry is to rebuild profitability in refining and marketing so that the UK has a thriving and competitive downstream sector able to meet these future challenges.
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