INTRODUCTION Petroleum marketers distribute products from the refinery gate to customers who depend upon regular supplies (see Figure 1). The marketing of petroleum involves a variety of complex commercial relationships@ as there are numerous products (see Figure 2) which flow in-distribution patterns from manufacture at the refinery to purchase by the consumer. Figure 3 lists the major product volumes for 1975 and the percent of total demand for each. In 1975@ the United States consumed 100 billion gallons of motor gasoline ?? more than 1@000 gallons for every automobile on the road. This presentation will concentrate on the distribution of gasoline ?? the principal petroleum product.