Partial production is scheduled to be restored at Syncrude Canada Ltd.’s Mildred Lake oil sands complex near Fort McMurray, Alta., in late July following a June 20 power outage that shut down all processing units, partners in the joint venture said July 9.
Preliminary investigation shows a transformer trip in Syncrude’s power house caused rapid, sitewide loss of power and steam generation, which brought down all processing units. There were no injuries or safety incidents (OGJ Online, June 28, 2018).
Syncrude has restored power and steam. It continues assessing the transformer while repairs are under way. A safe, staged return to operation has started, Suncor Energy Inc. said.
One coker, producing 150,000 b/d, is expected to return to service in the second half of July. A second coker, producing 100,000 b/d, is expected to return to service during the first half of August. Coke removal is required on a remaining coker after the shutdown, Suncor said.
“In order to mitigate the impact, Syncrude will investigate advancing some of the planned maintenance for this coker that had been originally scheduled for the fall of 2018 and spring of 2019,” Suncor said. “It is expected that Syncrude will ramp up to full production in early to mid September.”
The site normally can produce up to 350,000 b/d. Suncor has 58.74% interest. Other partners are Imperial Oil Resources 25%, Sinopec Oil Sands Partnership 9.03%, and Nexen Oil Sands Partnership 7.23%.
Contact Paula Dittrick at [email protected].
