22 surprising ways you use oil and gas (and didn’t even know it)

While it may be obvious when you’re starting your car that you are using oil and gas, you may not realize how many times a day you rely on a product that was made from a non-renewable resource.

One of the most common examples is items made from polypropylene – a type of plastic. Polypropylene is produced using propane. Propane is produced   during natural gas processing and oil refining. Polypropylene is widely used because it is chemical resistant, tough, long-lasting, cost-effective and has a high resistance to electricity for coatings on electrical wires.

Here’s a list of items that are made using polypropylene:

1. Solar panel parts
2. Wind turbine parts
3. Medical components including masks, gowns, syringes, non-absorbable sutures, implants, pill bottles, etc.
4. Carpeting – area rugs and upholstery
5. Furniture
6. Toys
7. Clothing and bags
8. Camping equipment
9. Disposable cups
10. Plates, bottles, cutlery
11. Reusable products like containers
12. Food and product packaging
13. Paper – stationary and other writing bindings
14. Speakers
15. Appliances
16. Piping systems
17. Ropes, cables
18. Insulation, roofing membranes
19. Plastic casing in electrical goods and cables
20. Storage boxes, disposable bottles, plastic pails
21. Automobile parts including bumpers, battery casings, tray and drink holders, interior details, instrumental panels, door trims, etc.
22. Wastewater treatment plant components

In 2022, Alberta will become a producer of polypropylene at Inter Pipeline’s Heartland Petrochemical Complex.  It’s one example of how members of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) are diversifying and adding even more value to the Canadian economy.

With demand for energy products like polypropylene increasing, the energy industry, including pipelines, will continue to play an important role in our society for decades to come. We will manufacture the materials needed for renewable resources, replace higher-carbon fuels around the world with natural gas and hydrogen, and help to fund the transition to a lower-carbon energy future.

CEPA members will continue to transport the energy products needed in the safest, most responsible way.