Annual maintenance and repairs underway at Co-op Refinery

There is more than a spring clean going on at the Co-op Refinery Complex over the next few weeks as the annual turnaround maintenance gets underway.

This is when the refinery’s equipment is taken off stream for safety maintenance and upgrades to ensure it continues to operate in a safe and reliable way.

“While the general public is sometimes unaware of (the) turnaround, it is perhaps one of the most important annual economic events in the Regina area”, said CRC Vice-President of Refinery Operations Gil Le Dressay.

“Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) will invest over $100 million in the safety and reliability of the Refinery. Some 1,300 additional jobs are filled through the duration of the turnaround, resulting in a significant economic boost for the Regina and area economy.”

Approximately 2,200 people will be working day and night at the refinery to get the work done, with more night-shift work planned than in past years. Over 700,000 hours of labour will be required to complete the task.

Numerous pieces of equipment will be bought on site from suppliers from the Regina area, including everything from space heaters to heavy machinery. There will be approximately 50 cranes on site during the turnaround.

With 1,300 additional workers on site, people living and working near the refinery will likely notice increased activity and traffic in the area.

“We will be using water and other dust suppression tactics as required to keep nuisance factors to a minimum. We’ll also be doing our best to deal with traffic issues by paying for additional Regina Police Service support to help direct traffic flow at the Winnipeg Street and 9th Avenue intersection during the peak traffic periods.”

The work is already underway and is scheduled to last until May 7.