Oil sands output off 30% in first quarter

The oil sands Big Three all paid a heavy price for fires and maintenance work in the first quarter, reducing average output by almost one-third to 429,416 barrels per day from 608,800 bpd a year ago.

Syncrude Canada was the heaviest loser, with volumes slumping to 157,000 bpd from 253,000 bpd, largely because of work on a coker unit and its associated upgrading and environmental units and two hydrotreating units.

However, second quarter volumes are expected to rebound to more than 241,000 bpd, while the full year should average 220,000-235,000 bpd, the consortium said.

Suncor Energy, hit by a January fire at an upgrader, saw its production for the first three months drop to 139,900 bpd from 219,800 bpd a year earlier.

Repairs to the damaged facilities will delay a return to full production of 225,000 bpd until September.

Shell Canada’s Athabasca project continued to pay a price for a late 2004 and March maintenance at its Edmonton area upgrader, with volumes for the quarter dipping to 132,516 bpd from 136,000 bpd in 2004

—Gary Park