CNRL says ramping up oil sands output as Alberta wildfires ease

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadian Natural Resources Ltd said on Wednesday it is ramping up production at its 30,000 barrel per day Kirby South oil sands project in northern Alberta as the wildfire threat in the region eases. The company was forced to cut production to 12,000 bpd last week because of wildfire disruptions. Canadian Natural also said safety checks and equipment assessments at its 80,000 bpd Primrose project, which was evacuated because of the fire threat, will be taking place over the "next several days", along with a staged start-up of production. Spokeswoman Julie Woo said only minor equipment repairs are required but until the assessment is complete, no timeline will be available for when Primrose will reach full capacity. (Reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by Diane Craft)