Irving Oil invests $235 million in its Saint John refinery – Canada’s largest – as part of its annual fall turnaround
Irving Oil Saint John Refinery
SAINT JOHN, NB – Irving Oil is investing $235 million in its Saint John refinery – Canada’s largest – demonstrating its ongoing commitment to safe, reliable operations.
Named Operation Osprey, the 75-day turnaround is planned to begin in early September, employing approximately 2,100 additional skilled workers from over 55 different contracting companies, primarily from communities across New Brunswick and the broader Atlantic Canadian region. Operation Osprey marks one of the largest turnaround investments to take place at our Saint John refinery in our company’s history.
The project will involve key infrastructure replacements, equipment upgrades and a major revamp of the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU) – commissioned in 2000 as part of Operation King of Cats, a $1-billion project that drew thousands of workers to the region. The RFCCU is a core unit that converts heavy crude into fuels such as gasoline and diesel, using a specialized catalyst to break down complex hydrocarbons.
“This $235-million private investment in our facility is essential to maintaining the safe and reliable operation of our refinery, and to strengthening long-term energy security for the regions we serve,” says Jeff Matthews, Irving Oil President & CEO. “This project demonstrates our continued commitment to our business, our people and our customers.”
The influx in contract workers, representing 19 different trades, including labourers, scaffolders, pipefitters, boilermakers, instrumentation techs, welders and bricklayers, is expected to generate more than $14 million in economic spinoff in New Brunswick. This includes spending on short-term accommodations, entertainment and recreation services, retail and other sectors. In addition, the total workforce hours on the project represent the equivalent of more than 440 annualized jobs.
“Our annual turnaround maintenance projects are critical to the continued reliability of our business for our customers and the energy security of the communities we serve, as well as for our teams and the tradespeople we welcome to our facility for the duration of the project,” says Dave MacLennan, Vice President and General Manager of the Irving Oil Saint John Refinery. “Turnarounds take years of logistical planning, with safety at the forefront of all we do. We deeply value the commitment of our people and our contractor partners to make a project of this scope successful.”
About Irving Oil:
Irving Oil is a privately held international energy company. For more than 100 years, our commitment to doing good business has been grounded in our commitment to people – to our employees, customers, communities and partners. Founded in 1924, our mission is focused on our continued evolution to meet the changing needs of our customers. Specializing in the refining and marketing of finished energy products, we operate Canada’s largest refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, and Ireland’s only refinery, located in the village of Whitegate. We proudly serve customers with more than 1,000 fuelling locations and a network of distribution terminals spanning Eastern Canada, New England and in Ireland, operating under the Top brand. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 10 consecutive years and one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People for 2026, we are proud of our team and our longstanding commitment to our customers and our communities. Learn more at www.irvingoil.com.
Media contact:
April Cunningham
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