If a petrochemical firm that used oil as feedstock merged with an oil producer that had large oil reserves and a drilling subsidiary,this would be a vertical merger.

Vertical Merger

Occurs when a company acquires another firm that is “upstream” or “downstream”; for example, an automobile manufacturer acquires a steel producer.

Petrochemical Firm

A company involved in the production of chemical products derived from petroleum and natural gas.

Oil Reserves

Quantified estimates of the amount of crude oil located in a specific economic region that can be recovered and sold under current economic and technological conditions.