$20 Million Irving Oil Refinery Turnaround Underway

Refinery Capital Investment Exceeds $200 Million for 2014

SAINT JOHN, NB, Sept. 12, 2014 /CNW/ - Over the next eight weeks, 650 additional skilled tradespeople will join the refinery's 1,400 person workforce to complete the facility's annual fall turnaround. The $20 million maintenance project will enhance the safety and reliability of Canada's largest refinery, which produces high-quality energy products for customers in Eastern Canada and the US Northeast.

Electricians, pipefitters, boilermakers, and other tradespeople will work 24/7, for a total of 450,000 workforce hours during the project, giving a boost to regional businesses in recreation, entertainment, food service and accommodation rentals.

"Our fall turnaround pushes our total sustaining Refinery capital investments to over $200 million for 2014," says Mark Sherman, General Manager of the Irving Oil Refinery. "In addition to the regional economic benefits, this level of investment provides strong job opportunities for our region's tradespeople and we can't thank them enough for their hard work and dedication. Without our skilled tradespeople, single year investments of this size wouldn't be possible."

Safety is a core value at Irving Oil and turnaround workers participate in extensive safety training orientation sessions prior to beginning work. Safety teams will also conduct daily safety audits and additional safety specialists will be on-site for the duration of the turnaround.

About Irving Oil

Irving Oil was founded in 1924 and is a privately owned, increasingly global regional refining and marketing company with a history of long-term partnerships and relationships. Irving Oil operates Canada's largest refinery, in Saint John NB, which is located 65 miles north of the US border and has reached production rates in excess of 320,000 barrels per day. The refinery exports over 80 per cent of its production to the US and accounts for 75 per cent of Canada's gasoline exports to the US and 19 per cent of all US gasoline imports. In 2003, Irving Oil became the first oil company to receive a US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Excellence Award, for its clean gasoline.

2014 Fall Turnaround Facts

• Work on the turnaround will take place 24/7 for eight weeks and is expected to be complete in early November. In total, the project represents 450,000 workforce hours of labour, over 595,000 total impact workforce hours.
• The $20 million turnaround will include work to several units within the Central, North, South and East Process areas of the refinery. Work will include cleaning, equipment inspection, repairs, replacements and piping upgrades.
• In total, around 900 people including 650 additional electricians, pipefitters, boilermakers, instrument technicians, labourers, insulators, millwrights, ironworkers and scaffolders will work on the project.
• Approximately 90% of the skilled workforce involved is from New Brunswick, approximately 10% from elsewhere.
• While the work occurs over an intense eight week period, the effect is similar to 216 full time annualized jobs.
• The turnaround will support an estimated $13.8 million worth of consumer throughout New Brunswick in areas like restaurants ($733,000), transportation ($4.4 million), shelter ($4 million), recreation ($1.2 million), communications ($657,000), health care services ($170,000) and entertainment ($302,000).
• The turnaround will provide a boost to New Brunswick's annual GDP of $19.7 million (total impact). Over the eight week period, this one project will boost the private sector component of New Brunswick's GDP during that time by nearly one percent.
• The Irving Oil Refinery will continue to meet the needs of its customers throughout the course of the project.

SOURCE: Irving Oil

Sam Robinson, [email protected], 506.650.4947