Crude oil plays a critical role in powering economies, industries, and everyday life — but what happens before it reaches the refinery or ends up as fuel in your tank is a complex journey that spans continents and involves countless hands. Understanding the crude oil supply chain provides insight not only into the oil industry itself but also into the delicate global web of energy production, logistics, and demand.

The journey begins at the oil fields, where crude is extracted through onshore and offshore drilling operations. These upstream activities require advanced technologies, skilled labor, and strict environmental management. Once extracted, the crude is stored temporarily before it’s transported — often by pipeline, tanker ships, or rail — to refineries across the world.