Syncrude is one of the largest operations in Canada’s oil sands industry, with a 57-year history of responsible development.  This is reflected through our support for local communities, Indigenous inclusion, continued improvement in environmental performance, and an emphasis on a safe, healthy and respectful workplace.

The Syncrude operation 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.

A culture of innovation drives continued progress, resulting in recent investments totaling over $3 billion in tailings treatment processes, fen wetland reclamation and air emissions reductions. Syncrude consistently ranks among the top R&D spenders in Canada and collaborates with industry partners through Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA).

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 assumed operatorship of the project in late 2021, a critical step towards driving greater efficiencies and competitiveness across all Suncor-operated assets in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB).

Highlights of Syncrude’s 2021 TSM results include:

Aboriginal and Community Outreach

Verified at Level AAA in all areas, Syncrude is one of the top employers of Indigenous people in Canada and to date has spent over $4.7 billion with Indigenous-owned companies. The organization champions Indigenous inclusion nationally through engagement with the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business, Indigenous Works and Indspire. Our program has also been certified eight times at the top (Gold) level in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program.

Biodiversity Conservation Management

Level AAA was achieved for all three indicators. Syncrude’s management of biodiversity includes extensive evaluation, monitoring and reporting programs supported by progressive reclamation practices that have resulted in over 4,300 hectares of land reclaimed from mining operations to date. Since wildlife monitoring began in 2011, 156 species have been detected on reclaimed areas, including 34 species of concern. In addition, in 2019, Syncrude joined the governments of Alberta and Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Tallcree First Nation to establish the Birch River Wildland Provincial Park, creating the world’s largest protected area of boreal forest.

Crisis Management and Communications Planning

Syncrude scored “Yes” in all indicators of this protocol. The operation regularly conducts emergency response simulations, including desktop and site-wide simulations, to ensure all personnel are properly trained and tested.  Pre-plans exist for all medium and high-level risks, and spokespeople are identified and trained.

Energy and GHG Emissions Management

Syncrude’s climate change strategy incorporates concentrated efforts to ensure the reliability of equipment, implementing new technologies and energy efficiency programs, and considering projects to offset emissions. For this protocol, Syncrude’s energy and GHG management and reporting systems achieved Level AAA ratings. The operation’s GHG target was not met in 2020 and is reflected in the A rating for performance.

Safety and Health

Syncrude was assessed at AAA in four of five indicators. The B rating for the Performance indicator reflects the loss of two Syncrude family members in incidents which occurred in 2020 and 2021. Teams of internal and external experts conducted detailed investigations to understand what occurred and we have implemented steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Tailings Management

Syncrude has long recognized the value of the Tailings Management protocol and has undergone an external audit to ensure high performance. Level AA ratings were achieved across all indicators, confirming Syncrude’s strong commitment to responsible operations.

Water Stewardship

Syncrude has a demonstrated and strong commitment to responsible water use, and this is particularly reflected through monthly stewardship and operation-wide Key Performance Indicators. Syncrude scored A ratings in the indicators for Governance, Operational Water Management, and Performance and Reporting. Higher ratings were not achieved due to the requirement of internal or external verifications at A and AA levels. For the Watershed-Scale Planning indicator, Syncrude was assessed at AAA.

For more information on Syncrude’s sustainability performance, visit www.syncrude.ca.