Suncor Energy Oil Sands Production Falls In Sept.

NEW YORK (AP) — Energy company Suncor Energy Inc. said Wednesday that its September oil sands production declined 3.2 percent from August levels, driven by planned maintenance to a vacuum unit, which began Sept. 8.

The Canadian-based company said its production of oil sands — a tar-like bitumen that is extracted using mining techniques — averaged of about 302,000 barrels per day (bpd) last month, down from an August production average of 312,000 bpd. Maintenance work on the vacuum unit was completed ahead of schedule and the unit was restarted on Oct. 3.

Suncor said it is targeting average oil sands production of 300,000 bpd in 2009, an 32 percent rise over 2008 levels of 228,000 bpd.

Shares of Suncor, which sells its product in the United States, Canada and Europe, closed Tuesday at $34.49, up $1.16. Its shares were not yet active in U.S. premarket trade. The company's shares also are listed on the stock exchange in Toronto.