Suncor explores for, develops and acquires natural gas throughout western Canada and in the U.S. Rocky Mountain region. We are also exploring long-term supply opportunities in northern frontier areas, such as the Mackenzie Delta and Corridor in the Northwest Territories, Alaska and Canada’s Arctic Islands.
Suncor's natural gas production is a price hedge against internal consumption at our oil sands and refining operations -- a key advantage.
Areas of Operation and Development
Panther: With our partner Shell Canada Limited, Suncor continues to drill for natural gas in the Panther River area southwest of Sundre, Alberta, near the border of Banff National Park. Each drilling operation is followed by completion and in-line testing, and then Shell installs the well site facilities. Shell has also constructed additional facilities to ensure production from the wells continues to flow.
Stolberg/Brown Creek: Suncor operates natural gas wells and production facilities in the Stolberg area in the foothills of western Alberta, including around Brown Creek.
Central Alberta: Suncor drills for and produces natural gas at a number of sites north and northwest of Edson. In 2005, Suncor and ConocoPhillips Canada built a 102-kilometre natural gas pipeline from the Cabin Creek gas field to the Simonette gas plant near Valleyview. The North Cabin pipeline was built to accommodate the significant new volumes of natural gas being produced in this part of Alberta. As part of our commitment to sustainable development, Suncor continues to look for innovative ways to balance resource development with environmental responsibility. This approach led to a new way of working on the North Cabin pipeline project.
Southern Alberta Foothills: Suncor’s proposed development of the Sullivan natural gas field is located in the Southern Alberta foothills — west of Longview, north of Highway 541 and just inside the boundaries of Kananaskis Country. Current and intended activities all fall within areas of Kananaskis Country that are appropriately zoned for gas drilling and development. As the location falls in a highly valued area, appropriate care has been taken to ensure the resource is developed in a respectful and responsible manner.
Sullivan Field Notes
The Savanna Creek field is a sour field located approximately 40 km south of the Sullivan field. A natural gas pipeline runs from an existing compressor station in the Savanna Creek field to an existing gas plant in Coleman, Alberta (operated by Devon Canada). To tie in to this infrastructure, a trunk line is proposed to be installed from the central facility in the Sullivan field to a tie in point located near the compressor station in the Savanna Creek field.
Northeast BC: Suncor produces natural gas around the Fort St. John area, working with a number of partners. Work is currently underway on a pipeline project in the Gwillim area, south of Fort St. John, to tie together three wells.
U.S. Rockies: We explore for and produce natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) in the Denver-Julesburg, Green River, Powder River and Uinta Basins.
Northern Frontier
We have invested in northern frontier areas, such as the Mackenzie Delta and Corridor in the Northwest Territories, and Alaska, where eventual production is contingent on further exploration and the development of infrastructure.
Canada’s Arctic Islands: Suncor sees the long-term potential for the development of Arctic Island natural resources, which were discovered in the 1970s and 1980s. The two largest assets Suncor holds in the region are the Drake Point and Hecla fields on Melville Island.
In 2008, a small team conducted a feasibility study and identified the timing of regulatory approvals as a significant issue; in the meantime, we have slowed down our Arctic Island efforts.