upstream/downstream sectors

In the oil and gas industry, "upstream" refers to exploration and production activities—finding, drilling, and extracting raw oil or gas from beneath the Earth’s surface. "Downstream" involves refining these raw materials into finished products like gasoline, diesel, and other petrochemicals, and distributing them to consumers. Think of upstream as the "source" or "harvesting" phase, while downstream is the process of turning raw materials into usable products and delivering them to markets. These sectors are interconnected, with upstream providing the raw inputs that downstream transforms for end-use.