Canadian Oil Patch is how the Oil and Gas Industry is named in Canada, particularly in Alberta where it is also called the Alberta Oil Patch or just, "the patch". The term refers specially to upstream operations (examination and production of oil and gas), and to a lesser degree to downstream process (distribution and advertising of oil and gas products). In 2005, approximately 25,000 new oil wells were spud in Canada. Daily, over hundred new wells are spud in Alberta alone
Most examination and production occurs in Alberta, with a significant amount of operations in British Columbia (mainly in winter) and reliable activity in Saskatchewan. Drilling from large offshore podium occurs on the Newfoundland continental shelf.
Alberta is the largest producer of conservative crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in Canada. Two of the chief producers of petrochemicals in North America are located in middle and north central Alberta. In both Red Deer and Edmonton, world class polyethylene and vinyl producers produce products shipped all over the world, and Edmonton's oil refineries give the raw materials for a large petrochemical industry to the east of Edmonton. There are hundreds of small companies in Alberta devoted to providing all sorts of services to this industry - from drilling to well preservation, pipeline maintenance to seismic exploration.