The announcement marks the first commercial production from the upgrader expansion. The Scotford Upgrader processes oil sands bitumen from the Muskeg River Mine and Jackpine Mine. With production capacity at the Athabasca Oil Sands Project now at 255,000 barrels-per-day, engineers will focus on improving operating efficiencies and adding capacity through debottlenecking.

Design and engineering work also continues on the proposed Quest carbon capture and storage project at the Scotford Upgrader. Quest could capture and store underground some 1 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. A final decision to begin construction could come in 2012, once all regulatory approvals are in place.

Shell Canada Energy is 60% owner and operator of the Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP) along with Chevron Canada Limited (20%) and Marathon Oil Corporation (20%). The AOSP includes the Muskeg River Mine, Jackpine Mine and Scotford Upgrader.