Head 35 miles south of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, and you will find Surmont, ConocoPhillips Canada’s oil sands asset.  

This asset, estimated to contain over two billion barrels of commercial resources, is 100% owned and operated by ConocoPhillips. It consists of two central processing facilities, commonly referred to as CPF1 and CPF2.  

To safely and effectively manage asset maintenance and comply with regulatory requirements, these central processing facilities routinely undergo what’s known as a turnaround. During a turnaround, oil production is temporarily halted so workers can carry out maintenance and compliance activities. 

“A turnaround is a standard maintenance activity within industry, and depending on the drivers, it can vary significantly in size and scope,” said Colin Herbert, ConocoPhillips Canada shutdown manager. “Turnarounds require a thorough amount of planning, preparation and training to manage in a safe and effective matter.” 

This summer, ConocoPhillips Canada completed the largest turnaround in the business unit’s history at CPF2, an undertaking that happens once every five years. 

In anticipation of this event, the Surmont turnaround team began preparing in late 2022. This allowed them ample time to meticulously develop plans for scheduling, staffing, equipment, safety and wellness. 

“When you have a turnaround of this scope, you need to bring in contractors on site to support,” said Ian Braconnier, ConocoPhillips Canada’s turnaround specialist. “These folks may not have previous knowledge of our site and procedures, so planning and preparing education, awareness and safety requirements ahead of time was necessary to ensure the project was successfully completed, and most importantly, to make sure everyone would go home safely at the end of each shift.” 

Workers put in approximately 260,000 direct field labor hours to complete the one-month project, safely finishing one day ahead of schedule. 

ConocoPhillips workers prioritized early contractor engagement and onboarding to ensure necessary information had been clearly communicated prior to arrival. Before entering the gates, contractors were also required to complete safety orientations. This ensured they understood the asset, safety requirements, and the rules and regulations.  

To support this effort, Surmont staff were trained to work closely alongside contractors to foster open communication and build strong working relationships.

Safety expectations were relayed through a communication campaign titled “Walk the Talk,” which featured safety information on signs throughout the facility and hardhat stickers. Staff also reinforced safety expectations during daily team stand-ups. 

Further, as a result of all of the work involved in turnarounds, they have the potential to bring about periods of heavy workload which can lead to increased stress and fatigue. 

“In order to mitigate the safety risks associated with turnaround-related fatigue, we launched a robust wellness campaign, including information sessions and individual assessment tools, to support and normalize conversations about mental health and wellbeing,” said Matthew Starchuk, Occupational Health coordinator. “These also serve as important reminders to check in on ourselves and one another.” 

Eighteen ConocoPhillips employees from various business units traveled to Surmont to support the CPF2 turnaround, including experts from the Lower 48, Alaska and the UK. 

Ten operators arrived at Surmont in the days leading up to the ramp-down phase of the turnaround. Their experience was invaluable to the Surmont Operations crews, helping to complete the necessary work to slow down, halt production and safely prepare the equipment for maintenance activities.  

Eight workers came on board to serve as area coordinators throughout the shutdown, including Scott Ure, a Kuparuk maintenance supervisor from ConocoPhillips Alaska. 

“The turnaround team was very welcoming and incredibly knowledgeable of the asset,” said Ure, who was brought in to help because of his technical background and extensive turnaround experience. “I was pleased with the opportunity to work on this collaborative effort and to share learnings with my Canadian colleagues.”  

On Sept. 11, the Surmont team safely and efficiently completed the first phase of the turnaround, allowing CPF2 to begin ramping back up. 

The successful completion of the CPF2 turnaround stands as a testament to meticulous planning, robust safety protocols and international collaboration.  

With the lessons learned and the strong relationships forged, Surmont is well-positioned to continue its legacy of excellence in the oil sands industry.