Downstream Operations

Our refineries manufacture a quarter of all Australia's petroleum products. They include petrol, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), diesel, aviation fuel, propylene, solvents and bitumen. At our two refineries in Clyde, New South Wales, and Geelong, Victoria, we refine a variety of crude oils and feedstocks into a range of fuels and petroleum products for distribution both locally and overseas. We have invested substantially in being able to produce clean fuels at both our refineries to comply with Federal Government requirements to reduce sulphur levels in premium unleaded petrol and diesel fuel.

The supply team is responsible for planning the supply of all products for our customers around Australia in a timely way. We set refinery production schedules in order to best meet market demands. Acquisition and shipment of crude oil and feedstock to our refineries, and imports of refined fuels to supplement local production are carefully scheduled. We work closely with our retail, aviation and commercial businesses to introduce new products to the market when they are required.

The Supply & Distribution team manages all aspects of storing and transporting products by road, rail, sea and pipeline. Our priority is to ensure that all our fuel and oil products reach the end customers safely. Our fuel terminals service a wide range of customers throughout the country.

Our fuels team is dedicated to meeting the needs of medium-to-large customers in the reseller, mining, construction, transport and industrial sectors. We supply bulk fuels to our customers' own sites as well as to Shell Card customers through dedicated commercial refuelling sites and Shell branded service stations.

The lubricants team creates value for our customers through the delivery of proven high-performing product and technical support. We procure raw materials for use in manufacturing oils and specialty petroleum products for our customers in Australia. A blending plant at Pinkenba Terminal in Brisbane produces as many as 200 different lubricant products.

We also manage the warehousing and distribution of these lubricants and deliver them to customers such as the DIY retail sector, large transport workshops and major mining operations.

Shell brings its global experience in fuels marketing, property development and facilities management to a retail network of around 900 branded service stations across the country. Over 600 of these branded service stations are the highly visible Coles Express outlets operated via an exclusive alliance agreement with Coles. Shell is the fuel supplier to these service stations and Coles Express operates the site and convenience store and sets fuel prices.

The balance of Shell branded locations are owned and operated by individual operators who have Shell as their fuel supplier of choice. We also manage the Shell Card fleet management solution, which is a fuel card and management system for vehicle fleets. Shell Card is accepted at all Shell branded service stations, thus simplifying cost control and cash flow for our fleet customers.

Shell is Australia's leading provider of aviation fuels, piston engine oils and greases to the commercial and general aviation markets. Fuels and lubricants are delivered to airports across the country, refuelling over 1,000 flights a day.

We supply more than a third of all the bitumen used by contractors to build and repair Australia's private and government roads. The bitumen is produced at our Clyde and Geelong refineries and at our terminals in Brisbane and Townsville. Shell bitumen is also imported and stored at our depot in Adelaide.

Shell supplies marine fuels and lubricants from approximately 25 ports, including the two largest domestic ports of Melbourne and Sydney. Marine fuel deliveries are made largely by barge out of major ports (including the country's first double hull marine pollution - MARPOL - compliant barge, the MV Zemira). We deliver by truck and pipeline out of the smaller ports. Among our shipping company customers, we count cruise lines, container lines, tankers and ferries. We also supply the offshore exploration and production industries in Australia and throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Our chemicals team supplies bulk solvents and specialty chemicals to over 100 industrial sites across Australia. The products are used in the manufacture of paints, resins, adhesives, detergents and plastics as well as in the mining sector.