Suncor Energy’s oilsands base plant. Image: Joey Podlubny/JWN Suncor Energy is continuing its vocal opposition to Alberta’s mandated oil production curtailment, which goes into effect on Jan.1, 2019. The company, which is insulated from wide heavy oil differentials because of its integrated downstream operations, said on Friday that the cut will challenge its operations. Suncor said its initial assigned cut is higher than the 8.7 percent industry-wide curtailment that Alberta announced in early December. “The disproportionate allocation of the production curtailment creates several potential unintended consequences, which Suncor is reviewing with the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Energy Regulator,” the company said in its 2019 capital budget statement. Suncor said the potential unintended consequences include impacts on facility safety and reliability; the level of crude oil upgraded and refined in Alberta, which has limited impact on Alberta egress constraints; its long-term take or pay pipeline commitments for access to the US Gulf Coast; and impacts from the consumption of in-house diesel production used in mining operations. "Suncor will not put the safety of our employees and contractors at risk," the company said. Suncor takes issue with how the province is applying the cuts for the Syncrude project, which […]
