Two Valley shutdowns

Two Chemical Valley giants are heading into maintenance shutdowns. About 1,000 employees and contractors are involved in the work at Suncor Energy’s Sarnia refinery, the company said.

Two Chemical Valley giants are heading into maintenance shutdowns.

About 1,000 employees and contractors are involved in the work at Suncor Energy’s Sarnia refinery, the company said.

The project is expected to take eight weeks and could result in increased stack flaring, noise and traffic near the site.

Shell Canada said recently it would also undergo a maintenance shutdown this fall. The size and duration of the project were not released.

Ray Curran of the Sarnia Construction Association said the work is part of the normal maintenance schedule in the petrochemical industry.

“Every couple of years they shut down portions of their plants and rebuild. Different companies happen different years, but it’s a regular part of the business.”