Overview of Upstream
Upstream is one of the three major sectors of the oil and gas business, which also includes Midstream (transportation and storage) and Downstream (refining and marketing). The upstream sector of the petroleum industry is also referred to as exploration and production (E&P). Upstream oil and gas involves looking for oil and natural gas deposits and taking measures to extract these resources from the earth for commercial sale. Once producing areas are located, E&P companies employ various technologies and strategies to drill into the earth, extract crude oil and/or natural gas from the ground, and prepare it for transportation via pipeline, truck, or train to a refinery or processing plant.
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