A screenshot from an anonymous video posted online showing an aerial view of the well release at Rush Lake in May 2025. (Photo courtesy: Meridian Source)

By Kenneth Cheung

Cenovus energy

Cenovus to restart Rush Lake thermal site after well-casing failure

Dec 1, 2025 | 3:05 PM

Cenovus Energy says it will begin safely restarting operations at its Rush Lake thermal oil facility on Dec. 2 after receiving approval from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Energy and Resources, nearly seven months after a well-casing failure triggered an uncontrolled release to the surface.

The company says the P-pad, where the casing failure occurred in a steam injection well, will be permanently abandoned. All wells on the pad are now non-operational and under control, and remediation work in the affected area is progressing, Cenovus says.

As part of a detailed and phased restart plan, Cenovus says it is completing comprehensive well-integrity inspections at Rush Lake and at its other thermal operations in Saskatchewan.

“Rush Lake wells that have been inspected and identified as safe to resume production will return to service in a staged approach over the next several weeks.”

The company is warning nearby residents to expect increased activity at the site during the restart period, including a lit flare, visible water vapour from steam generators and a temporary rise in truck traffic.

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Cenovus says its investigation into the cause of the casing failure is ongoing.

The findings will undergo third-party verification and be shared with the province and key details provided to the community. The company has also completed an extensive seismic program, which it says confirmed the caprock in the Rush Lake area remains fully intact.

The release first occurred in May, when gas and fluids surfaced at the Rush Lake II site, forcing Cenovus to shut down operations and triggering air quality monitoring in the surrounding area.

Residents reported strong odours and some experienced headaches and dizziness before the vapour cloud dissipated in mid-July.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com