Canadian Natural Resources to Up Output at Oil, Gas Facilities

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Written by Will Ploch, Assistant Editor-in-Chief for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

As the global oil and gas markets wrestle with fallout from the U.S.-Iranian conflict, CNRL is hitting record production numbers from its operations in Canada's oil sands.

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Record Growth in a Rough Market

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) overcame broad-based turmoil in the global oil and gas markets in the first quarter of 2026, boasting strong operational results from some of its key production facilities. Executives are eyeing a series of expansions at several of these locations, particularly in the Athabasca oil sands. According to Industrial Info Resources data, more than US$30 billion worth of active and proposed projects are attributed to CNRL, more than half of which is going toward projects in Canada's oil sands region.

Scott Stauth, the president of CNRL, said in a quarterly earnings-related conference call that CNRL saw record quarterly North American production of roughly 773,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), which includes record liquids production of 329,000 barrels per day (bpd) and record natural gas production of 2.668 billion cubic feet per day. On the liquids side, CNRL reported record quarterly production at its Jackfish complex in Lac La Biche, Alberta, of about 134,000 bpd.

Stauth cited two new well pads, both of which were brought online in the past six months, as driving the results at Jackfish. With the facility exceeding its nameplate capacity of 120,000 bpd in the first quarter, CNRL is proposing the 30,000-bpd Jackfish East expansion, as well as two new productions plants at its Pike development, which is about 50 miles to the south.

Stauth said CNRL is progressing with front-end engineering on the Jackfish East and Pike projects this calendar year; the first of the two new Pike plants could wrap up as early as the end of 2026. For more information on these projects, the Industrial Info Resources Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Project Database offers details--including key contacts, investment values and necessary equipment--in reports on Jackfish East and Phase 1A and Phase 1B at Pike.

By the Numbers

• More than US$30 billion: Total investment value of active and proposed projects from CNRL
• 773,000 boe/d: CNRL's record quarterly North American production in the first quarter
• 6,300 bpd: Potential production addition to CNRL's Horizon complex via naphtha recovery project

More Output on the 'Horizon'

In addition to the Jackpine and Pike expansions, CNRL is progressing its naphtha recovery unit tailings treatment project at its Horizon complex near Fort McMurray, Alberta, which is designed to add 6,300 bpd of synthetic crude oil to Horizon's existing 137,000-bpd output. Stauth said Horizon offers "significant upside, given the vast reserves that we have." For more information, readers can consult a detailed plant profile and project report.

"In the short term, our Conventional E&P [exploration and production] assets provide significant, highly capital-efficient drill-to-fill development, including continued drilling of liquids-rich assets and heavy crude oil multilateral wells," CNRL said in a quarterly earnings statement.

CNRL executives also say the company maintains other growth opportunities at Horizon, including an in-pit extraction unit and an additional high-temperature paraffinic froth treatment (HTPFT) unit. However, "these projects remain on hold as we wait for greater certainty on more effective and efficient regulatory policies, combined with a competitive fiscal framework and egress," CNRL said in its press release. "When we have that certainty, we will reassess the viability of these projects."

More details on these projects can be found in reports on the in-pit extraction and HTPFT. Industrial Info Resources is tracking 10 projects, totaling more than US$9 billion of investment, at the Horizon Oil Sands Mine; readers can learn more from a list of project reports.

CNRL's net earnings for the quarter were reported to be C$1.35 billion, compared with C$2.46 billion (US$1.79 billion) in first-quarter 2025. Executives said the results were impacted negatively--to the tune of about C$1.1 billion (US$800 million)--due to non-operating, non-cash items, including share-based compensation, risk management activities, and foreign exchange fluctuations.

The Industrial Info Resources GMI Project and Plant databases offer a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources also offers a full list of reports for active and proposed projects from CNRL.

Key Takeaways

• CNRL boasted strong output growth at some of its key production facilities.
• More than half of CNRL's planned investments are toward Canada's oil sands region
• CNRL is progressing with front-end engineering on the Jackfish East and Pike projects.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news, and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing, and energy-related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified, and verified plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).