Suncor suffers plant fire

A fire at Suncor Energy‘s (SU-T) oil sands operation in northern Alberta forced the evacuation of about 250 people in early January. No injuries were reported.

The blaze began in a section of the plant that separates oil from sand and makes it into crude oil products. The cause of the fire is not known.

The fire reduced the plant’s oil production to about 110,000 barrels per day. The full rate is 225,000 barrels.

Suncor is based in Calgary and operates a plant near Fort McMurray, Alta. The company extracts and upgrades oil from oil sands and markets refinery feedstock and diesel fuel.

Suncor also has several natural gas operations throughout western Canada.