[ Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From:
Category: Safety
Date: 06 Jan 2005
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. (CP) — Suncor Energy Inc. began an investigation Wednesday into the cause of a fire at its oilsands plant and said it has started repairs to return to full production. The fire, which began Tuesday morning at one of Canada’s largest oilsands plants, was extinguished late in the day, the company said in a release. Located in one of the company’s two oilsands upgraders, the fire affected a coker fractionator, which separates crude oil products. “The response of our emergency services and operations teams throughout this incident has been excellent,” said Steve Williams, Suncor (TSX:SU) executive vice-president. “Apart from some first-aids related to the cold weather, there were no injuries. We are now focused on safely returning to full production.” Oil production at the facility was operating at about 110,000 barrels per day, the company said. It did not know when full production rates of about 225,000 (barrels) would resume. Suncor said it will provide information on damage estimates and production impact once the investigation is complete. During the fire, about 250 employees who work in the immediate area were assigned to other portions of the facility. A construction site close to the operating area that employs about 1,200 workers was closed until Thursday. One witness said two explosions several minutes apart rocked the company’s Millennium upgrader and sent a fireball six storeys high into the air. Suncor shares were up 30 cents to $40.40 in early trading Wednesday after falling more than five per cent Tuesday in heavy trading on the Toronto stock market.