Rather than feeling the pressure of a global energy transition, one of Sarnia's top refineries is looking at ways it can adjust its operations to meet future targets.
Imperial Oil Sarnia Complex Manager and Chemicals Vice President Eloissa Wells recently described the long-term and short-term initiatives the company is focused on.
"The energy industry is under enormous change [and] with change comes great opportunities," Wells said. "We will continue to look for lower emission options, whether that's things like vegetable oil co-processing or something different... as we understand, as technology evolves, and as we look for things that compliment our production."
Wells said co-processing is a type of technology that would allow them to use their current equipment to introduce agricultural feedstock to existing refinery processes to produce commercial fuel.
"There's additional work that needs to be done. We've already completed two successful trials so we're well on our way," she said. "It's a clear demonstration that we're working on lower carbon intense fuel."
While fuel consumption may be viewed differently in today's society and as there's more of a push toward electrification, Wells said they feel confident in the industry's future based on the energy outlook across the world.
"Imperial Oil is focused on developing projects that are longer term, so whether that's hydrogen or carbon capture, or a different line of business," she said. "So as we see the world transition away from fossil fuels and into a different line, Imperial will be there with that solution."
Countries are also seeing a shift to reduce single-use plastics.
While Wells noted the advantages of plastic, she said Imperial and its shareholder ExxonMobil are committed to reducing plastic waste.
Wells said a large-scale advanced recycling facility was recently introduced in Baytown, Texas, with the capability of processing 80 million pounds of hard-to-recycle plastics.
"It's a technology that we are very excited about to help drive that circular economy and we're evaluating bringing it here to Sarnia," she said.
Advanced recycling was noted as a short-term initiative Imperial is working on. Wells said they should know within the next decade if this is, or a different version of advanced recycling, is the right technology to pursue.
"We're continuing to evaluate the technology. I think advanced recycling is a great compliment to our Sarnia facility," she said. "We recognize that this is an excellent way to progress the climate ambitions as well as managing the plastic waste in the environment issue. So it's just a matter of continuing to develop the technology further and understand how it can fit into our portfolio."
Wells was the guest speaker during Tuesday's Kiwanis Club of Sarnia-Lambton Golden K Meeting.
Imperial Oil's Sarnia site processes 120,000 barrels of crude oil every day, supplies 40 per cent of the jet fuel to Toronto Pearson International Airport, and manufactures 800,000 tonnes of chemicals per year.
Wells also noted the site employs 700 full-time staff and as many contractors.