Cenovus Energy will begin a phased and carefully-monitored restart of operations at its Rush Lake thermal oil facility on Dec. 2.
The restart comes after receiving approval from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources.
Read more: Rush Lake cleanup ongoing as Cenovus eyes potential restart
The company has confirmed that P-pad, the site of a casing failure in a steam injection well that caused an uncontrolled release to the surface in May, will be permanently abandoned. All wells on P-pad are now non-operational and under control. Cenovus says remediation of the affected area is progressing well.
As part of its restart plan, Cenovus is conducting thorough well integrity inspections at Rush Lake and across its other Saskatchewan thermal operations. Wells deemed safe will resume production in stages over the coming weeks.
During the restart, nearby residents can expect increased activity at the plant and well pads, including a visible flare and water vapour from steam generators, both part of normal operations. There may also be a temporary rise in truck traffic in the area.
Cenovus continues to investigate the cause of the casing failure. Once the investigation is complete, findings will be verified by a third party and shared with the Ministry of Energy and Resources, as well as with the local community.
The company has also conducted an extensive seismic program at Rush Lake, which confirmed that the integrity of the underground caprock remains fully intact.
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