Cenovus Energy will begin safely restarting its Rush Lake thermal oil facility on Dec. 2 after receiving approval from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources.
The company says P-pad, the location of a May casing failure that caused a surface release, will be permanently abandoned. All wells on the pad remain shut down and under control, and Cenovus reports steady progress on remediation in the affected area.
As part of the restart plan, Cenovus carried out detailed well integrity inspections at Rush Lake and its other Saskatchewan thermal sites. Wells that have passed inspection and been cleared for operation will return to service in stages over the next several weeks.
Residents in the area can expect increased activity as the restart moves ahead. Cenovus says people may notice a lit flare, visible water vapour from steam generators and a temporary increase in truck traffic. The company notes these are normal parts of safe restart procedures.
Cenovus continues to investigate the cause of the casing failure. The company says its findings will be verified by a third party before being shared with the Ministry of Energy and Resources and the local community.
Cenovus has also completed a large seismic survey to assess underground formations across the Rush Lake area. The company says the survey confirmed the caprock remains fully intact.
Read more: Young tours Rush Lake as investigation continues
