Home > Company Performance > Syncrude Canada Ltd.
Operated by Suncor Energy, Syncrude incorporates technologically advanced oil sands mines, and extraction, upgrading and utilities facilities at two sites north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Current production capacity is 350,000 barrels of high quality, light, low sulphur crude oil per day.
The Syncrude Project is a Joint Venture undertaking among Suncor Energy Inc., Imperial Oil Resources Limited; Sinopec Oil Sands Partnership; and CNOOC Oil Sands Canada. Suncor’s interest is held by Canadian Oil Sands Partnership #1 and Suncor Energy Ventures Partnership, both wholly owned affiliates of Suncor Energy Inc., as the project owners (the “Owners”). Suncor Energy (Syncrude) Operating Inc. is the project operator.
Highlights of Syncrude’s 2023 TSM results include:
Biodiversity Conservation Management
Level AAA was maintained for all three indicators. Syncrude’s management of biodiversity includes extensive evaluation, monitoring, Indigenous engagement and reporting programs supported by progressive reclamation practices that have resulted in over 5,000 hectares of land reclaimed from mining operations to date.
Climate Change
As an operating entity of Suncor, Syncrude has annual facility greenhouse gas emissions targets in place to support the company’s ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Concentrated efforts focus on reliability of equipment, implementing new technologies and energy efficiency programs. Syncrude was assessed at AA for Facility Climate Change Management; the operation’s GHG target was not met in 2022 and is reflected in the B rating for Facility Performance Targets and Reporting.
Crisis Management and Communications Planning
Syncrude maintained “Yes” in all indicators of this protocol. Extensive emergency response planning is in place and emergency event simulations are conducted to ensure the quality of those plans and verify that personnel are fully trained and equipped to execute them. The operation has established response plans and an incident command system is in place.
Indigenous and Community Relationships
Verified at Level AAA in all indicators, Syncrude has a long history of engagement and consultation. Syncrude has also been accredited at Gold Level status in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations program of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business eight consecutive times.
Preventing Child and Forced Labour
Suncor has processes in place that are relative to jurisdictional risk that ensures forced or child labour is not occurring.
Safety and Health
Syncrude was assessed at AAA in three of five indicators which is reflective of the operation’s commitment to safety and health. The A rating in the Planning and Implementation indicator was lower than previous years as the industrial hygiene program was not included in the scope of the most recent audit cycle. The AA rating in the Performance indicator confirms a strong performance management system with established targets for both leading and lagging indicators.
Tailings Management
Syncrude underwent an external audit in 2023 to assess the effectiveness of its systems and procedures against the Tailings Management protocol. Level AAA ratings were achieved across all indicators, demonstrating Syncrude’s strong commitment to tailings facility integrity, emergency preparedness and responsible operations.
Water Stewardship
Syncrude scored A ratings in the indicators for Governance and Operational Water Management (higher ratings were not achieved due to the requirement of internal or external audits at AA and AAA levels). For the Watershed-Scale Planning indicator, Syncrude was assessed at AAA. For the Performance and Reporting indicator, Syncrude achieved level AAA, as facility targets were met for the assessment year and performance data is publicly reported annually.
Facility | Crisis management and communications preparedness | Review | Training |
---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Facility | PREVENTING FORCED LABOUR | PREVENTING CHILD LABOUR |
---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | ✔ | ✔ |
Commitments and accountability | Planning and implementation | Training, behaviour and culture | Monitoring and reporting | Performance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Tailings management policy and commitment | Tailings management system | Assigned accountability and responsibility | Annual tailings management review | Operation, maintenance and surveillance (OMS) manual | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Commitment, accountability and communications | Conservation planning and implementation | Reporting | |
---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Water governance | Operational water management | Watershed-scale planning | Water reporting and performance | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Community of Interest Identification | Effective Community of Interest Engagement and Dialogue | Effective Indigenous Engagement and Dialogue | Community Impact and Benefit Management | Community of Interest Response Mechanism | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Facility | Total Direct Emissions (Tonnes CO2e) | Total Indirect Emissions (Tonnes CO2e) | Total Emissions | Total Energy Use (GJ) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 13320000 | 10000 | 13330000 | 162350000 |
Corporate Climate Change Management | Facility Climate Change Management | Facility Performance Targets and Reporting |
---|---|---|
Syncrude Canada Ltd. |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2023 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2019 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2016 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2013 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2007 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2006 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Syncrude Canada Ltd. | Syncrude Canada Ltd. | 2023 | Verification Summary Report
TSM Results 2019 (Externally Verified)
TSM Results 2016 (Externally Verified)
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