Irving Oil Invests $235 Million in September Turnaround at Saint John Refinery in Canada
en.Wedoany.com Reported - Irving Oil Ltd. has confirmed a $235 million investment for its annual fall turnaround at the Saint John refinery in New Brunswick, eastern Canada. The refinery, with a processing capacity of 320,000 barrels per day, will begin the turnaround work in September.
In a press release on August 24, Irving Oil stated that the turnaround, named "Operation Osprey," will last 75 days and represents one of the largest turnaround investments in the company's history at the refinery. The scope includes critical infrastructure replacement, equipment upgrades, and significant modifications to the refinery's Resid Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU). The RFCCU is the refinery's core unit, which uses specialized catalysts to crack complex hydrocarbons, converting heavy crude oil into fuels such as gasoline and diesel. This turnaround marks the first for the unit since it was commissioned in 2000 as part of the company's $1 billion "Operation King of Cats" project.
Dave MacLennan, Vice President and General Manager of the Saint John refinery, stated that the annual turnaround maintenance program is vital to providing customers with continuous and reliable operations, ensuring energy security for the communities served, and supporting the company's team and the skilled tradespeople welcomed into its complex during the project. He added that the turnaround requires years of logistical planning, safety remains the top priority, and he deeply appreciates the commitment of employees and contractor partners to successfully complete a project of this scale.
Irving Oil stated that "Operation Osprey" is expected to continue until mid-November, requiring approximately 2,100 additional skilled workers from more than 55 different contracting companies during the turnaround, primarily sourced from across New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada. Contract workers cover 19 different trades, including laborers, scaffolders, pipefitters, boilermakers, instrumentation technicians, welders, and bricklayers. According to the operator's estimates, the influx of contract workers will generate an economic impact of over $14 million in New Brunswick, spanning short-term accommodations, recreational services, retail, and other sectors.
Jeff Matthews, President and Chief Executive Officer of Irving Oil, stated that this $235 million private investment in the Saint John complex is critical to maintaining the refinery's safe and reliable operations and strengthening long-term energy security for the regions it serves.
In 2025, the refinery has already completed a 30-day turnaround, "Operation Eastern Screech Owl," costing nearly $40 million, which included infrastructure replacement, equipment upgrades, and comprehensive inspections of the refinery's pipelines and critical units; this work ran in parallel with a $100 million FCCU upgrade investment. "Operation Osprey" follows these efforts. The upgrade project aims to modernize the FCCU, maximize its performance, and improve its efficiency and reliability. Construction began in June 2025, with phased completion planned for the second half of 2025.
