Curtailment at northern Alberta Suncor plant likely won't affect gas prices: expert

Suncor Energy Inc. says it has curtailed some production after a wildfire forced the company to withdraw all non-essential workers from its Firebag oilsands site.

Suncor is "leveraging our integrated asset base in the region to minimize business disruption," spokesperson Tara Weber said, adding there's no risk to Suncor's other operations or the Firebag airport. 

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The fire, MWF047, is part of the Cattail Lake Complex.

Alberta Wildfire says MWF047 grew 10,000 hectares in the last 24 hours and is currently burning about eight kilometres from the Firebag site.

"We're seeing extreme fire behaviour in that area. We've got over 140 wildland firefighters and support staff responding to that fire," Melissa Story of Alberta Wildfire said Friday.

Story says winds are currently pushing the fire away from the Firebag site but causing challenging conditions for firefighters.

"We're working around the clock. We have night-vision-capable helicopters that are working in the overnights and evenings. We've got heavy equipment that is working to build a fire guard on the west side of the fire right now to kind of put a barrier in between that in any infrastructure or cities or towns."

Curtailment won't affect gas prices

Despite the curtailment at Firebag, at least one industry expert says gas prices won't be impacted.

"It won't affect consumer gasoline or diesel prices," Richard Masson of the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy told CTV News Edmonton on Friday.

"These are very sophisticated plants. They have very, very sophisticated control systems. So you can do a lot with a few people, and their production will be safely curtailed."

"This is a project of about 240,000 barrels a day when we export about 1.6-million barrels a day. It's a piece of the puzzle, but it's not the main piece."

As of Friday afternoon, there are 65 wildfires burning in Alberta, 17 are out of control, 28 are under control and 20 are being held.

Four of the fires started in 2023.

With files from CTV News Amanda Anderson, and The Canadian Press