(Adds statement from Cenovus, paragraphs 2-3, fire official,
paragraph 9)
By Nia Williams and Eric M. Johnson
CALGARY, Alberta, June 8 (Reuters) - Oil sands producers
Canadian Natural Resources Limited CNQ.TO and Cenovus Energy
CVE.TO shut projects and evacuated workers at Pelican Lake
facilities in northern Alberta as wildfires threatened western
Canadian output for the second time in a five weeks.
Cenovus shut operations and evacuated all 118 workers from
its 23,000-barrel-per-day Pelican Lake project on Tuesday but
said on Wednesday afternoon the fire had weakened and was not an
imminent threat to facilities.
The company said 44 essential staff would be back on site
during the evening and that it eyed a potential production
restart for Thursday if conditions remained safe.
Canadian Natural said on Wednesday it shut in 800 barrels
per day.
"The wildfire is a safe distance from our major facilities
at Pelican Lake," Canadian Natural spokeswoman Julie Woo said on
Wednesday. "Canadian Natural has moved non-essential personnel
from our northern camp to other camps within our Pelican Lake
operations."
Average production at Pelican Lake was 47,600 bpd, Woo said,
citing first-quarter filings. Woo did not have an update late on
Wednesday afternoon.
The fire, roughly 75 hectares (185 acres) in size, and
blowing away from the facility, is some 30 km (19 miles) from
the community of Wabasca, fire official Travis Fairweather said.
More than 30 personnel were fighting the blaze, backed by
bulldozers and helicopters dropping flame retardant, Fairweather
said. Forecasts called for a chance of rain for Wednesday, a
provincial website said.
"The fire is no longer considered out of control, and it
probably won't grow anymore," Fairweather said on Wednesday
afternoon.
The Pelican Lake fire is about 160 km (100 miles) southwest
of the massive wildfire still burning east of Fort McMurray,
Alberta. Last month, that blaze forced 90,000 residents to flee
the city and shut down more than 1 million barrels per day of
oil sands output.
Cenovus said there had been no damage reported to facilities
or infrastructure. It said air quality was at acceptable levels.
All Cenovus staffers were evacuated on Tuesday evening to a
temporary center in Wabasca, while non-essential workers were
sent home.
Cenovus said essential workers remained on standby at
Wabasca, and six workers returned on Wednesday morning to
inspect the facilities from a safe location.
Husky Energy HSE.TO said its operations in the area were
unaffected.
(Editing by Alan Crosby and Peter Cooney)