A flare stack lights the sky from the Imperial Oil refinery in Edmonton on December 28, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
CALGARY — Imperial Oil Ltd. pushed its Kearl oilsands project to record production for its first quarter as it continues to ramp up output ahead of the opening of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
The company averaged production of 277,000 barrels per day at the project, up about seven per cent from the same quarter last year.
“I’m very pleased to report that we sustained the strong operating momentum from the past several quarters,” chief executive Brad Corson told analysts on a conference call discussing the company’s latest results on Friday.
Overall, Imperial’s production rose by a more modest two per cent from last year to an average of 421,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day in its latest quarter as both Cold Lake and Syncrude saw production drop. Output was also off its highest-ever production of the equivalent of 452,000 barrels per day last quarter, due mostly to seasonal factors, Corson said.
Imperial, majority-owned by U.S. giant Exxon Mobil, has been working for some time to improve productivity and lower costs at Kearl, which is located north of Fort McMurray, Alta.
A major piece of that work was Imperial’s multi-year effort to convert its entire fleet of heavy haul mining trucks at Kearl to fully autonomous operation. The company announced the completion of the initiative last fall.
- 0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online
- 0072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 20240072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 2024
- 0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets
- 0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages
- 0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register
- 0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth
- 0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan
- 0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds
- 0064 Estevan OTS0064 Estevan OTS
- 0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
- 0062 TED_EPAC_Technology_300062 TED_EPAC_Technology_30
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
- 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
- 0052 Predator Inspections0052 Predator Inspections
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
- 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0015 Latus Viro0015 Latus Viro
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0011
- 0006 JK Junior
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001
The ramp up comes as the May 1 scheduled commercial start date for the Trans Mountain expansion approaches, which is helping lower the discount on Canadian crude, Corson said.
The narrowing differential between the U.S. benchmark WTI crude price and Canadian WCS helped offset a softening in oil prices, he said.
“A key factor is the approaching start up of TMX, which will provide significant additional capacity for egress out of the western Canadian basin,” Corson said.
The production and pricing changes led to a first quarter profit of $1.20 billion, down from its best-ever first quarter last year that had profits of $1.25 billion.
The company said the profit amounted to $2.23 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, up from $2.13 per diluted share in its first quarter last year when it had more shares outstanding.
Total revenue and other income amounted to $12.28 billion, up from $12.12 billion in its first quarter of 2023.
Refinery throughput for the quarter averaged 407,000 barrels per day, down from 417,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2023, while refinery capacity utilization was 94 per cent, down from 96 per cent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:IMO)
The Canadian Press
- 0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online0073 SaskWorks-Pipeline Online
- 0072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 20240072 Outlaw Buckers and Oil Kings 2024
- 0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets0069 Sask Oil Show 2024 banquet tickets
- 0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages0071 Pride Upkeep 2024 Packages
- 0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register0070 Sask Oil Show 2024 pre-register
- 0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth0068 Sask Oil Show 2024 booth
- 0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan0067 PFM SaskWorks Payroll Investment Plan
- 0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds0066 WBPC Promo video 30 seconds
- 0064 Estevan OTS0064 Estevan OTS
- 0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher0063 Turnbull Excavating hiring crusher
- 0062 TED_EPAC_Technology_300062 TED_EPAC_Technology_30
- 0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask0061 SIMSA 2024 For Sask Buy Sask
- 0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket0058 Royal Helium Steveville opens anonymous rocket
- 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
- 0052 Predator Inspections0052 Predator Inspections
- 0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly0051 JML Hiring Pumpjack assembly
- 0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar0049 Scotsburn Dental soft guitar
- 0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan0046 City of Estevan This is Estevan
- 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
- 0032 IWS Summer hiring rock trailer music
- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
- 0018 IWS Hiring Royal Summer
- 0015 Latus Viro0015 Latus Viro
- 0013 Panther Drilling PO ad 03 top drive rigs
- 0011
- 0006 JK Junior
- 0002 gilliss casing services0002 gilliss casing services
- 9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX9002 Pipeline Online 30 sec EBEX
- 9001