Page 14 - Suncor 360 - September 2014 - English
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FEATURE
SEPTEMBER 2014
360
Chameleons are curious creatures.
thrive amid ierce competition in an integrated model relects a purposeful
ever-changing environment.
strategy to unlock the value of the oil sands
It’s not just their buggy, stereoscopic and other streams of crude we produce,
That’s also the essence of adaptability when and it buffers us against market forces
eyes and their long, lightning-fast it comes to Suncor’s business. In the global
tongues. It’s the way the colour of beyond our control.”
energy industry, ‘survival of the ittest’
their skin changes so they blend in depends on the capacity to thrive in spite As an example, Mark points to one of the
with their environments – a handy of countless external variables largely biggest questions on the minds of the
adaptation for jungle critters many beyond our control. Commodity and institutional investors he deals with: “What
other jungle critters would like to currency prices, market access, regulatory about market access? Your operations are
snack on.
changes, royalty regimes.these are just impressive, but can you get your crude to
some of the external forces that impinge the world markets where it’ll fetch a
In the animal kingdom, that’s what upon our business.
premium price?”
adaptation’s all about. It’s a built-in, highly “Fortunately,” says Mark Illing, manager, Thanks to our experienced midstream
evolved survival strategy – the means to
investor relations, “we have a strong group and their ability to manage the
competitive advantage that helps insulate transport, storage and marketing of the
us from many market conditions – a crude we produce, the answer, by and
survival mechanism built right into our large, is yes.
business model.”
“We have robust and integrated midstream
A BUILT-IN SURVIVAL operations,” says Mark. “This sets us clearly
STRATEGY
apart from peers who don’t actively market
their crude and, as a consequence, tend to
That advantage, Mark tells us, is be ‘price takers.’ Our tightly integrated
integration.
midstream teams maximize the amount of
crude we move to the world market. And
“Suncor is one of the most integrated
because our products span the full quality
energy companies in the world, with
spectrum – from raw bitumen to sweet
tight connections all the way from
light crude to speciality lubricants – we’re
production to reining and marketing. Our
better able to absorb the swings as market
Mark Illing
