CCRL Refinery Complex

Coop Refinery Complex[1]
Country Canada
Province Saskatchewan
City Regina
Refinery details
Operator Federated Co-operatives Limited
Owner(s) Federated Co-operatives Limited
Commissioned May 27, 1935 (May 27, 1935)
Capacity 145,000 bbl/d (23,100 m3/d)
Number of employees 800
Refining units 33
Oil refining center Regina

Previously known as Consumers Co-operative Refinery Limited (CCRL) The Co-op Refinery Complex is an oil refinery spread over 544 acres (2.20 km2) located in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada owned by Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL). The refinery provides oil products to the member co-operatives of Federated Co-operatives Limited.[2] The complex has completed a $2.9 billion upgrade project (2012) that can increase operations up to 145,000 barrels per day (23,100 m3/d)[3][4]

History

On May 27, 1935, a group of 8 farmers from Saskatchewan started the world's first Co-operative Refinery. This went "on stream" as a 500 barrels-per-day Skimming Plant.

In 1939, the Co-op Refinery Complex signed a contract to build a Cracking Plant at a cost of some $250,000, which expanded production to 1,500 barrels per day.

On August 24, 1951, the Co-op Refinery Complex expanded to 5,000 barrels per day.

Today the Co-op Refinery Complex produces 130,000 bbl/d and covers 800 acres of land in the north east corner of Regina, Saskatchewan.

The refinery is located near the NewGrade Energy Inc. Upgrader used for the production of synthetic crude. The upgrader was originally constructed as a joint venture between the CRC and the Province of Saskatchewan (through Crown Investments Corporation) in 1988.[5] The facility was the first upgrader built in Canada.[6] On November 1, 2007, CCRL bought out the 50% interest held by the Crown for $383.1 million.[7]

Explosions, Fires and Accidents

On October 6, 2011, an explosion occurred in the diesel processing area. This caused the site to be evacuated and sent seven people to hospital. The fire was expected to reduce the facility's diesel production by about 25 per cent, but did not affect its gasoline-processing operation. The refinery was undergoing a major expansion and renovation at the time which resulted in much higher numbers of personal on site at the time. All of the injured were employed by contractors.[8] The explosion was found to be caused by a failure of corroded pipes.[9] Consumers Co-operative Refinery Limited pleaded guilty to one of 5 Occupational Health and Safety charges[10] and on May 12, 2015 was fined $280,000 for failing to ensure that work was "sufficiently and competently supervised". Fifty-two people had been injured the day of the explosion including 3 seriously.[11]

There were two large-scale accidents reported in 2012, the first being an explosion on October 6, with an ensuing fire that hospitalized seven persons; the site was again in flames in the middle of May.[12]

On February 11, 2013 the third major incident in 16 months occurred. A fire in the coker of the heavy oil upgrader section of the plant, shortly after midnight, resulted in no injuries.[13]

On December 24, 2013 the fourth major incident in two years occurred. A fire, the cause of which is still being determined, could be felt throughout the entire city. No injuries were reported and all refinery staff were accounted for.[14] [15]

Around Midnight on Tuesday March 1, 2016 a rail car containing asphalt rolled, uncontrolled, several kilometers into the city of Regina after it left CCRL property in a runaway condition.[16] Neither the City of Regina or Regina Fire and Protective Services were notified by CCRL and were unaware of the event until the following Friday, the same day on which media reports of the event emerged.[17] [18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Johnstone, Bruce (26 October 2012). "‘Massive’ $2.66B expansion project complete at Regina refinery". The Leader-Post.
  2. ↑ "Operations". Consumers Co-operative Refinery Limited.
  3. ↑ "Regina refinery expansion approved". The Star Phoenix. 25 January 2008.
  4. ↑ "The History of CCRL". Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Limited.
  5. ↑ "The New Grade Energy Act" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan - HEAVY OIL UPGRADERS". University of Regina. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
  7. ↑ "Third Quarter Financial Report" (PDF). Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan. 30 September 2007.
  8. ↑ "Regina refinery explosion sends 7 to hospital". CBC. 6 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Cause of Co-op Refinery explosion was corrosion". Newstalk 980 CJME. 16 August 2012.
  10. ↑ "VIDEO/PHOTOS: Guilty plea from Co-op refinery to OHS charge from 2011 explosion". Newstalk 980 CJME. 22 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "$280,000 fine for Co-op refinery for 2011 explosion". Newstalk 980 CJME. 12 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Fire breaks out at Co-op refinery in Regina". CBC. 15 May 2012.
  13. ↑ Welsch, Edward; Harvey, Christine (11 February 2013). "Consumers Co-op Shuts Coker at Saskatchewan Plant After Fire". Bloomberg.
  14. ↑ "Explosion and fire rock Regina refinery". CBC. 24 December 2013.
  15. ↑ "Federated Co-op refinery explosion marks 4th fire in 2 years". CBC. 25 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Runaway rail car full of asphalt rolls from Co-op Refinery through Regina". cjme. 4 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "City of Regina wasn’t notified of runaway rail car". 620ckrm. 4 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Runaway rail car full of asphalt rolled through part of Regina". www.mysask.com. 4 March 2016.

External links

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