Wild fires wreak havoc for oil and gas companies in northern Alberta

CALGARY – Cenovus Energy may have to halt oil production from its Pelican Lake pool if wild fires continue to wreak havoc in northern Alberta.

Spokeswoman Rhona DelFrari says the facilities are not under threat at the moment, and production is still at its full capacity of 22,000 barrels per day.

However, a pipeline that transports Pelican Lake crude has been shut, so Cenovus has been putting its oil into storage tanks for now.

DelFrari says many Cenovus staff live in and around Slave Lake, Alta., which has been partially destroyed in the fire.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. says it has set up barriers to protect a staff lodge near its Horizon oilsands mine, about 150 metres from where the fire is burning. So far the barrier has been successful in diverting the fire away from the lodge and the fires have had no impact on Horizon operations.

However, approximately 1,300 camp residents have been evacuated from two of the companies’ lodges.

Exall Energy Corp. has done aerial surveillance of its Marten Mountain operations, and found its facilities have not been affected by the fire.