Irving Oil’s $172M refinery turnaround will bring more than 2,200 workers on site – representing a significant investment in national energy security
SAINT JOHN, NB – On September 6, Irving Oil began the fall turnaround project at its Saint John refinery, the second of two turnarounds planned for 2022. Operation Wolverine – a larger turnaround project than this past spring’s Operation Wolf – represents a private investment of $172 million over an eight-week timeframe, with 2,250 skilled workers dedicated to the project.
As the company continues to make significant capital investments and technological innovations to meet its climate and sustainability goals, it is equally important to invest in necessary repairs, preventive maintenance and upgrades to the facility’s current assets to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable operations on a sustained basis – with energy security and reliably serving customers always a top priority.
The teams of Operation Wolverine will focus on the safety, quality and reliability of the facility’s infrastructure, while working to increase the overall efficiency and performance of the Saint John refinery.
Irving Oil’s execution of two turnarounds this year – including the $35-million Operation Wolf this past spring – represents an overall private investment of $207 million and the creation of 2,600 temporary jobs this year. This represents one of the largest investments made to date in Canada in 2022 in a refining facility and is part of Irving Oil’s commitment to evolving its assets for the future while maintaining equipment to continue to deliver a reliable energy supply.
The additional workforce – with more than 84% expected to be from Atlantic Canada – will be comprised of boilermakers, electricians, labourers, scaffolders, pipefitters and many other skilled workers.
“Turnarounds are substantial events with a considerable amount of planning, and we appreciate the work of our people and our partners to make not one but two turnaround events possible this year,” said Irving Oil Chief Refining and Supply Officer Kevin Scott. “We’re looking forward to progressing with Operation Wolverine, which is a symbol of our commitment to investing in our facilities and the community we call home.”
Operation Wolverine has the potential to create approximately $12 million in benefits for the local Saint John economy, and represents the company’s commitment to job creation, asset integrity and reliability and economic investment in the region. These benefits include boosts to short-term accommodation rentals, recreation services, as well as retail and other local spending. In addition, the total workforce hours on the project represent the equivalent of more than 750 annualized jobs.
With the dedication of its employees and additional workforce, Irving Oil is committed to performing this scheduled fall event safely and efficiently while maintaining a reliable plant. To learn more about the company’s core values, sustainability goals and evolution for the future, please explore its 2021 Report on Sustainability at irvingsoil.com.
About Irving Oil:
Irving Oil is a family-owned and privately held international energy company. For nearly 100 years, our commitment to doing good business has been grounded in our commitment to people – to our employees, customers, communities and partners. Founded in 1924, our mission is focused on our continued evolution to meet the changing needs of our customers. Specializing in the refining and marketing of finished energy products, we operate Canada’s largest refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, and Ireland’s only refinery located in the village of Whitegate. We proudly serve customers with more than 1,000 fuelling locations and a network of distribution terminals spanning Eastern Canada, New England and in Ireland, operating under the Top brand. We are on a continuous journey of sustainable development, working to reduce our environmental footprint while continuing to provide safe and reliable energy to our customers. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for six consecutive years, we are proud of our team and our longstanding commitment to our customers and our communities. Learn more at irvingsoil.com.
Contact information:
Katherine d’Entremont
Irving Oil
support@irvingsoil.com
506.654.7162