Suncor Energy Inc. says it has temporarily curtailed some production after withdrawing all non-essential workers from its Firebag oilsands site in response to a wildfire burning out of control in northern Alberta.
The company, Canada’s second-largest oilsands producer by volume, said its Firebag facility will be kept in a state that maintains readiness to resume full operations as soon as possible once it is safe to do so.
On Thursday, a spokesperson confirmed it was “moving to essential personnel only” at the site as a precautionary measure.
Spokeswoman Tara Weber said Suncor is “leveraging our integrated asset base in the region to minimize business disruption.”
She said there is no risk to Suncor’s other operations or the Firebag airport, but the company is prepared to take further action if necessary.
As of Thursday afternoon, a wildfire spanning more than 21 square kilometres in size was burning out of control about 70 kilometres northeast of Fort McMurray, Alta.
The Alberta government said the fire was approximately eight kilometres northeast of Suncor’s Firebag main plant, 14 kilometres northeast of Suncor’s Firebag Aerodrome and 16 kilometres east of Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands facility.
Imperial Oil said Thursday its operations were not affected, though it continues to monitor the situation closely.
Suncor’s Firebag oilsands site is the company’s largest in situ operation. In oilsands terminology, in situ means using steam to heat up and loosen underground bitumen that is too deep underground to be accessed through surface mining.
The facility produces up to 215,000 barrels of oil per day and employs a fly-in, fly-out workforce from across the country.
The company’s website says there are typically about 400 people at the site each day.
In May 2016, the massive wildfire that destroyed parts of the community of Fort McMurray also threatened major oilsands production facilities and forced the evacuation of thousands of workers.
During the peak of that crisis, more than one million barrels per day of Canadian oil production were shut in.
Firebag takes its name from the leather bag used by Indigenous peoples to carry hot coals for fire-starting purposes.
For the latest information on which areas in Alberta are under an evacuation alert or order due to a wildfire, visit the Alberta Emergency Alert website.
For the latest information on the wildfire status and danger across the province, visit the Alberta Wildfire website.
The latest information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province can be found on the Alberta fire bans website.