Local community members, contractors and First Nations representatives joined Shell, Marathon Oil Canada and Chevron Canada today to celebrate the grand opening of Albian Village and Aerodrome, new accommodation and travel facilities located 75 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, in the heart of Canada's oil sands. "We require skilled people from across Canada to work on our projects, and offering top-notch accommodation on-site helps set us apart," said Brian Straub, Shell’s Executive Vice President, Oil Sands and CEO of Albian Sands Energy. "We worked to get these projects right, resulting in hotel-style residences, and a first-rate aerodrome to bring people in and out of Northern Alberta safely and comfortably."
With phase two now occupied, Albian Village accommodates nearly 2,500 people in an assortment of single rooms and suites. Built by ATCO Structures, Albian Village features a 115,000-square-foot (approximately 35,000 square metres) core building, a gymnasium, running track, workout facility, lounge, indoor hockey rink, lecture hall, dining area and a softball field.
Albian Aerodrome, located adjacent to the Village, was built by Noramac Ventures, a joint venture between North American Construction Group and Fort McKay First Nation. At almost 8,000 feet (2,400 metres) long, the airstrip ranks among the largest private airstrips in Canada and can handle an Airbus 319 or Boeing 737, aircraft capable of carrying more than 120 passengers.
“We're proud of both facilities, which were a response to the region's rapid growth and long term business potential,” Straub said. “The community has expressed serious infrastructure concerns so our efforts to reduce traffic and other demands on local services, especially during the peak construction phases of our projects, are intended to contribute to sustainable growth."
Albian Village and Albian Aerodrome were built to support expansion of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP). AOSP Expansion 1 is a 100,000-barrel-a-day expansion of both bitumen mining and upgrading facilities. At peak, AOSP Expansion 1 will employ more than 6,000 skilled trades people at construction sites near Fort McMurray and near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
The AOSP is a joint venture among Shell Canada Limited (60%), Marathon Oil Canada Corporation (20%) and Chevron Canada Limited (20%). Albian Sands Energy operates bitumen mining and extraction facilities on behalf of the AOSP Joint Venture owners.
Media Inquiries:
Paul Hagel
Sr. Communications Rep - Oil Sands
(403) 969-4919
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