Exxon affiliate Imperial to end Canada’s Norman Wells oil production in 2026
(WO) - Imperial, a majority-owned affiliate of ExxonMobil, said it will end hydrocarbon production at its Norman Wells operations in Canada’s Northwest Territories in the third quarter of 2026, as the field reaches the end of its productive life.
The decision follows continued production decline at the century-old asset, which includes producing wells located on natural and artificial islands in the Mackenzie River and a central processing facility that also supplies electricity to the town of Norman Wells.
“Today marks the first of many milestones in our closure journey with communities that have been our home for more than a century,” said Cheryl Gomez-Smith, Imperial’s senior vice president of upstream. “We’re proud of our contributions to the Northern economy over generations.”
Imperial said it had worked to extend operations and preserve local economic benefits but determined that an orderly shutdown is now required. “With declining production we have made the difficult decision to end production,” Gomez-Smith said, adding that the company is focused on a “safe and orderly shutdown of operations.”
The company said it is coordinating with local authorities to ensure continuity of power generation for the community and noted that there are no near-term changes to existing wholesale fuel supply arrangements. The wind-down applies specifically to upstream production facilities at Norman Wells.
Imperial said it will continue working with communities, regulators and regional stakeholders on closure and reclamation planning. Final reclamation activities are not expected to begin until after 2030, following completion of environmental assessments, permitting and a finalized closure plan.
Emergency response systems and community awareness programs will remain in place throughout the transition, the company said, and regulatory applications currently underway are being assessed as part of the next phase of the process.
Top image: Imperial Oil Ltd.
