After more than 100 years, oil production in Norman Wells is coming to a close

TO CLOSURE AND RECLAMATION.

JOCELYN CHAPPELL HAS THE STORY.

>> AFTER MORE THAN 100 YEARS IN

PRODUCTION IMPERIAL OIL IN

NORMAN WELLS IS COMING TO A

CLOSE.

IN A STATEMENT TODAY IMPERIAL

OIL SAYS PRODUCTION IS SLATED

TO END IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF

2026.

DOUG MATTHEWS IS AN OIL AND GAS

ANALYST SPECIFICALLY ON

NORTHERN ENERGY ISSUES.

HE SAYS NORMAN WELLS WASN'T

ADDING MUCH TO THE COMPANY'S

PORTFOLIO.

WHILE THE TOTAL OF IMPERIAL

OIL'S OPERATIONS WAS SITTING

AROUND 400,000 BARRELS A DAY,

NORMAN WELLS CONTRIBUTED ABOUT

6500 OF THOSE.

STILL, THE COMPANY WAS LOOKING

FOR WAYS TO KEEP LOCATION

RUNNING.

>> [indiscernible] QUITE

FRANKLY HAVING NONE OF IT.

>> Reporter: LINE 490 WAS A

FLOW LINE THAT NEEDED REPLACING

BUT MATTHEWS SAYS EVEN WITH

REPLACING IT WOULD LIKELY NOT

HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

NOW, THOUGH, HE SAID THERE WILL

BE A BRING TO RECLAMATION WORK

WHICH WILL BRING OPPORTUNITY TO

THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL.

>> MORE POSITIVE IS OVER TIME

AS WE MOVE INTO FINAL CLOSURE

AND RECLAMATION THERE WILL BE A

$1 BILLION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT SITTING RIGHT THERE ON

THE SITES OF NORMAN WELLS.

THE TRANSITION, TO BE FAIR,

WILL BE DIFFICULT BUT THERE IS

A FUTURE TO THE TOWN OF NORMAN

WELLS, NOT AN END.

>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW, THE

COST IS ESTIMATED AROUND $180

MILLION BUT MOST EXPERTS,

INCLUDING HIMSELF, THINK THE

COST COULD GO INTO THE

BILLIONS.

THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING AT

NEXT STEPS, AS WELL, TO ENSURE

APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS ARE IN

PLACE.

WORK IS BEING DONE TO ENSURE

COMMUNITY VOICES ARE BEING

HEARD THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION

PROCESS.

CBC REACHED OUT TO IMPERIAL OIL

BUT THEIR MEDIA SPOKESPERSON