Canada Timeline
Building a Better World for More Than a Century
In 1949, Fluor established the Fluor Corporation of Canada in Montreal. Within the next few years, Fluor added a sales office in Toronto and acquired a majority interest in a local engineering firm. In 1973, Fluor moved its Canadian headquarters to Calgary to serve western Canada's growing oil and gas industry. In 1988, Fluor acquired Wright Engineers Limited, adding significant mining and minerals technical expertise.
For more than 75 years, Fluor Canada has performed engineering, procurement, and construction for a wide range of projects spread across the Canadian landscape. Fluor Canada's flexible approach to project execution offers cost-effective solutions that enhance the value of clients' assets and increase long-term business success.
1910s
Fluor quickly builds a reputation for innovation and precise engineering and construction work.
1912
Fluor Construction Co. founded
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1912: Fluor Construction Co. founded
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In 1888, John Simon "Si" Fluor emigrated from Switzerland to America in search of challenges and opportunity. He previously trained as a journeyman carpenter in the Swiss guild and brought with him the ethos that system embodied — a reverence for craftsmanship and the ambition to build structures that would outlast the builder.
In 1912, Mr. Fluor founded Fluor Construction Company in Santa Ana, California, leading the company until his death in 1944. Fluor Construction Company performed general contracting at the start and quickly gained a reputation for quality and innovation.
1920s
Fluor Construction Company expands into oil and gas, building plants and patenting technologies.
1921
Buddha Cooling Tower introduced
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1921: Buddha Cooling Tower introduced
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Fluor's "Buddha Tower," a water-cooling tower named after the Buddhist shrines it resembles, represents a radical advance in the cooling of water.
1922
Natural gasoline plant built
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1922: Natural gasoline plant built
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Fluor is contracted for a 10,000-gallon-per-day natural gasoline plant for the Richfield Oil Company at Signal Hill, California.
1925
Gas plant constructed in Santa Fe Springs, California
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1925: Gas plant constructed in Santa Fe Springs, California
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During the roaring 1920s, the Fluor Construction Company helped wildcatters harness the oil boom with the first gas plant project in Santa Fe Springs, California.
1926
Air-Cooled Muffler and Gas Cleaner
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1926: Air-Cooled Muffler and Gas Cleaner
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Fluor introduces its patented Air-Cooled Muffler and Gas Cleaner.
1930s
Fluor expands oil and gas operations beyond California, as far as the Persian Gulf.
1930
Fluor constructs first major project outside of California
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1930: Fluor constructs first major project outside of California
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Peter E. Fluor, Si Fluor's eldest son, sold services to Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company to build compressor stations between Texas and Indiana, expanding Fluor's geographic footprint.
1933
First overseas contract in Persian Gulf
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1933: First overseas contract in Persian Gulf
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Fluor secures its first overseas contract for work in the Persian Gulf, building cooling towers at a refinery under construction at Bahrain Island.
1933
Fluor family helps employees during Great Depression
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1933: Fluor family helps employees during Great Depression
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During the Great Depression, Fluor family members mortgage their homes to pay workers' salaries.
1940s
Increasing tenfold during World War II, Fluor breaks ground on first project in Canada.
1943
Fluor builds helium plant to support allied war effort in World War II
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1943: Fluor builds helium plant to support allied war effort in World War II
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Fluor provided engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services to the U.S. Bureau of Mines for a helium plant to support the allied war effort.
1945
Fluor breaks ground on refinery expansion in Vancouver
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1945: Fluor breaks ground on refinery expansion in Vancouver
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The Shell Refinery expansion was Fluor’s first project in Canada. In December 1945, ground was broken for the refinery expansion that was designed to efficiently use all types of crude petroleum, which was especially important during the post-war period when crude was in short supply.
1949
Fluor establishes business in Canada
1949: Fluor establishes business in Canada
Fluor established the Fluor Corporation of Canada under the laws of the Dominion of Canada in Montreal, Quebec in 1949.
1950s
Fluor establishes sales and operations offices in Canada to expand their presence in the Energy & Chemicals sector.
1952
Fluor opens Canadian head office
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1952: Fluor opens Canadian head office
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Fluor opens a sales office in Toronto, Ontario. In the following year, Fluor acquired a majority interest in a Canadian engineering firm to establish engineering capabilities in Canada.
1953
Fluor provides engineering for Imperial Oil
1953: Fluor provides engineering for Imperial Oil
In 1953, Fluor performed a major expansion for Imperial Oil, Ltd at the Regina, Saskatchewan refinery. Additionally, Fluor engineered a 45,000 bpsd expansion at Imperial Oil's Montreal East Refinery in Quebec.
1960s
Fluor continues to strengthen relationships with oil & gas clients in Canada.
1966
Fluor Canada awarded Shell Canada modernization project
1966: Fluor Canada awarded Shell Canada modernization project
Fluor Canada received a contract covering 50% of a proposed major modernization and expansion of Shell Canada's 82,000 bpd Montreal East Refinery.
1968
Fluor repairs fire damage at Waterton plant
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1968: Fluor repairs fire damage at Waterton plant
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Fluor was awarded the contract to revamp the Waterton gas plant after fire damage occurred. As part of this project the flare system was repaired.
1970s
Fluor expands into the mining & metals industry in Canada, and opens new office in Calgary.
1971
Fluor constructs Island Copper Complex for Utah International
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1971: Fluor constructs Island Copper Complex for Utah International
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The Island Copper Mine was located on the northern end of Vancouver Island about seven miles south of Port Hardy, in a remote logging and fishing community with a population of 2,000.
Fluor built the Island Copper Complex in 1971. The concentrator had a capacity to process 33,000 tons of ore per day. At the time, Island Copper's six autogenous grinding mills comprised the largest totally autogenous grinding circuit in the copper industry.
1971
Fluor mobilizes to construct a grassroots uranium processing facility at Rabbit Lake
1971: Fluor mobilizes to construct a grassroots uranium processing facility at Rabbit Lake
Fluor’s scope of work included a 28,000-square meter main complex that housed the process units, acid plant, power plant, laboratory, offices, workshop and warehouses.
Located 800 kilometers northwest of Saskatoon, Rabbit Lake was a very challenging project to execute in extreme environmental conditions. In spite of the challenges and only short periods of summer construction, the project was completed on schedule in April 1975.
1972
Fluor helps construct Alaska Pipeline
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1972: Fluor helps construct Alaska Pipeline
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Fluor is selected to design and build the mainline pumping stations and Valdez terminal for facilitating flow of crude oil through the Alyeska (Trans-Alaska) Pipeline.
1973
Fluor moves to Calgary
1973: Fluor moves to Calgary
Fluor moved its Canadian headquarters from Toronto to Calgary to better serve the oil and gas industry in Western Canada.
1973
Fluor designs NGL extraction plant.
1973: Fluor designs NGL extraction plant.
Fluor completed the design and build of Dome Petroleum's natural gas liquids extraction plant in Empress, Alberta.
1973
Fluor designs and engineers the world's first totally offshore plant
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1973: Fluor designs and engineers the world's first totally offshore plant
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Fluor designed and engineered the world's first totally offshore plant for the recovery, storage and loading of natural gas, liquids for Atlantic Richfield.
1977
Fluor awarded Shell project in Rosevear, Alberta
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1977: Fluor awarded Shell project in Rosevear, Alberta
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Fluor was awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract to construct the Rosevear Sour Gas Treating plant.
1979
Fluor erects largest shop-fabricated pressure vessel
1979: Fluor erects largest shop-fabricated pressure vessel
In 1979, Fluor managed the transportation and erections of one of the largest pressure vessels ever shop-fabricated in Canada. The regenerator - one of three enormous vessels on this project - was 96 feet long with an outside diameter of 27 feet. Fluor successfully completed installation for Ultramar Ltd.'s Refinery Sophistication Project in St. Romauld, Quebec.
1979
Fluor replaces cold oil absorption plant with a single-train turboexpander
1979: Fluor replaces cold oil absorption plant with a single-train turboexpander
Fluor's Calgary office was selected by Petro-Canada to replace an existing cold oil absorption plant with a single-train turboexpander. This facility was the world's largest of its type at the time of construction. The plant was capable of processing 1,800 MMSCFD of natural gas.
1980s
Fluor Canada completes first major international project, and opens mining & metals office in Vancouver.
1982
Methanol plant expansion increases Alberta Gas Chemical's production capacity to 1,200 tpd
1982: Methanol plant expansion increases Alberta Gas Chemical's production capacity to 1,200 tpd
Fluor built the largest single-unit reformer to date in Canada. It was a key element Alberta Gas Chemical's Methanol Plant Expansion in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Fluor's project scope encompassed the engineering, procurement and construction of this world-scale, 1,200 tpd methanol plant including reforming, compression and synthesis, distillation, offsites, utilities and integration with the existing facility.
1982
Fluor designs world's largest FLEXICOKER™
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1982: Fluor designs world's largest FLEXICOKER™
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Fluor designs and constructions the world's largest FLEXICOKER™ for Lagoven in Amuay, Venezuela.
1983
Fluor constructs Canada's largest polyethylene facility
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1983: Fluor constructs Canada's largest polyethylene facility
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In spite of a tight construction schedule, Canada's largest polyethylene facility was constructed on time, under budget and exceeded expectations of initial operations. The plant was designed to produce 270,000 metric tons per year of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE).
1984
Syncrude Canada Ltd. Fire Rebuild
1984: Syncrude Canada Ltd. Fire Rebuild
Fluor mobilized a rapid response team to assess the damages at the Syncrude plant. After preparing a detailed plan to rebuild the facility, engineers and construction workers began the reconstruction of the damaged facilities on site. This fast-track project was executed entirely at the jobsite and took 116 days to reach project completion.
1984
Fluor Canada completes grassroots 1,200-metric tpd methanol plant in New Zealand
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1984: Fluor Canada completes grassroots 1,200-metric tpd methanol plant in New Zealand
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Fluor performed engineering, procurement and construction management support for Petralgas’s grassroots, 1,200-metric tpd methanol plant in Waitara, New Zealand. Fluor also participated in front-end optimization studies, developed computer simulations and was responsible for all equipment data sheets for all onsite systems, as well as many offsite systems. This was one of Fluor Canada's first international projects.
1986
Fluor modularizes plant in remote area
1986: Fluor modularizes plant in remote area
Fluor engineers a totally modularized plant in Manning, Alberta. Fluor also completed procurement and construction management for the Hamburg Gas Plant expansion.
1988
Fluor acquires Wright Engineers Limited in Vancouver
1988: Fluor acquires Wright Engineers Limited in Vancouver
Fluor's acquisition of Wright Engineers Limited added significant mining and metals expertise to Fluor in Canada. To date, Fluor continues to maintain an office in Vancouver to provide engineering support for mining and metals projects around the globe.
1988
Fluor manages major refinery expansion for NewGrade Energy Inc.
1988: Fluor manages major refinery expansion for NewGrade Energy Inc.
A Fluor joint venture managed and executed the engineering, procurement, and construction of the first heavy oil upgrader in Canada. This was the first Canadian mega-project to be executed by Fluor.
1989
Petro-Canada's Isomerization Plant at the Edmonton Refinery operational
1989: Petro-Canada's Isomerization Plant at the Edmonton Refinery operational
New Canadian environmental regulations prohibiting lead in gasoline required Petro-Canada to initiate an Isomerization Plant at the Edmonton Refinery. Fluor performed engineering, procurement, and construction for this 10,000 bpd grassroots isomerization project.
1990s
Fluor expands into the industrial and power markets in Canada with manufacturing and cogeneration projects.
1991
Fluor engineers and constructs Ford's Oakville assembly plant
1991: Fluor engineers and constructs Ford's Oakville assembly plant
In a joint venture with ABB Flakt Alpha, Fluor's Industrial sector provided engineering, procurement, construction and project management services for the 800,000-square-foot automobile assembly plant.
1991
Fluor builds cogeneration plant in Ontario, Canada
1991: Fluor builds cogeneration plant in Ontario, Canada
Fluor constructed a 90-MW cogeneration plant, which provided steam and power to an existing pulp and paper mill. At the time it was the largest cogeneration plant in Ontario and the first cogeneration plant used in Canada's pulp and paper industry.
1991
Hydrogen Peroxide Facility reaches mechanical completion
1991: Hydrogen Peroxide Facility reaches mechanical completion
DuPont's hydrogen peroxide plant was signed over to the client in 1991. Fluor provided detailed engineering, procurement assistance and construction services for the grassroots 36,000-ton/year facility.
1991
Fluor completes Alberta EnviroFuels grassroots 530,000 tpy MTBE plant
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1991: Fluor completes Alberta EnviroFuels grassroots 530,000 tpy MTBE plant
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Capitalizing on technology never before used anywhere in the world, Fluor performed engineering, procurement, and construction on Alberta EnviroFuels’ $360 million methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) manufacturing plant. The Canadian-based plant was the first of its kind in North America. Located in Strathcona County – which is east of Edmonton – EnviroFuels’ new factory commenced operation in early 1992 achieving an annual production capacity of 530,000 tons of MTBE. In completing the project, Fluor developed a fast-track execution plan using many innovations. Some of those approaches included the use of piperack modularization and erection/transport of field super modules; extensive use of precast concrete for structures; pre-dressing of major columns; shop fabrication of mall-bore piping as well as the use of 3D CAD.
1992
Fluor provides services for Clarabelle mill rationalization
1992: Fluor provides services for Clarabelle mill rationalization
Fluor provided engineering, procurement and construction management services for Inco Limited to refurbish the Clarabelle mill. The refurbishment allowed the mill to increase capacity and treat all ores from Inco's Sudbury mines without loss of production.
1994
Nickel underground mine re-opens in Garson, Ontario
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1994: Nickel underground mine re-opens in Garson, Ontario
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The Garson Mine operated for almost 50 years before it was closed in 1987. In 1992, INCO commissioned a study to re-open the mine. Fluor provided engineering, procurement and construction management services for the 2,000 tpd nickel underground mine in Garson, Ontario. Fluor renovated existing facilities as well as constructed new facilities.
1994
Fluor completes Prentiss II facility on a compressed schedule
1994: Fluor completes Prentiss II facility on a compressed schedule
Fluor provided engineering, procurement and construction for the Prentiss II (P-II) ethylene oxide glycol facility for Alberta and Orient Glycol Co Ltd. The P-II facility was designed to produce 280,000 metric tons per year of monoethylene glycol, 21,000 metric tons per year of diethylene glycol and 3,000 metric tons per year of polyglycols. Fluor was responsible for the EPC work on the P-1 plant ten years earlier.
1997
Fluor - Irving Oil Alliance begins
1997: Fluor - Irving Oil Alliance begins
The Fluor - Irving Oil alliance is a mix of Fluor and Irving employees who, together, deliver capital projects to support the 300,000 bpd refinery and associated marine terminals in Saint John, New Brunswick.
1998
Fluor wins Athabasca Oil Sands Downstream Project
1998: Fluor wins Athabasca Oil Sands Downstream Project
Shell Canada Ltd. awarded Fluor the engineering, procurement, and construction of the Primary Process Units (PPU) of its Athabasca Oil Sands Downstream Project, located in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
2000s
Fluor celebrates 60 years of providing comprehensive services to clients in Canada.
2001
Fluor engineers onsite upgrader associated with SAGD oil sands project
2001: Fluor engineers onsite upgrader associated with SAGD oil sands project
The Long Lake Upgrader Project, a joint venture of OPTI Canada Inc. and Nexen Canada Ltd., was the country’s first oil sands project to integrate steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) bitumen extraction technology with onsite upgrading and to employ a new approach to the upgrading process.
2002
Production begins at Albian Sands Muskeg Oil Sands Mine
2002: Production begins at Albian Sands Muskeg Oil Sands Mine
Fluor performed EPC and maintenance for the Muskeg River Oil Sands Mine constructed as part of the Athabasca Oil Sands project. The project was designed to produce 155,000 barrels per day of bitumen.
2009
EPCM Services commence for nickel processing plant
2009: EPCM Services commence for nickel processing plant
Fluor performed EPCM services for Vale Newfoundland & Labrador Ltd.'s nickel processing plant. The plant uses hydrometallurgical technology to process concentrate from the existing mine into a finished nickel product.
2010s
Fluor uses new technology to optimize modular construction to complete projects more safely and cost-effectively.
2012
Dow and Fluor sign Strategic Global EPC Agreement
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2012: Dow and Fluor sign Strategic Global EPC Agreement
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The Dow Chemical Company and Fluor sign a Strategic Global Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and Construction Management Agreement in support of Dow’s global capital projects program ranging across all Dow products.
2012
Shell's carbon capture facility selection
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2012: Shell's carbon capture facility selection
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Shell selects Fluor as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the carbon capture facility at its flagship carbon capture and storage Quest project at the Athabasca Oil Sands project in Alberta, Canada.
2012
Fluor's centennial event across six continents
2012: Fluor's centennial event across six continents
Fluor gathered around the world for its 100th anniversary celebration on April 21st, 2012.
2013
Fluor uses new technology to optimize modularization for Shell's Quest project
2013: Fluor uses new technology to optimize modularization for Shell's Quest project
While modularization is not new, the level of achievable offsite work was significantly increased by using Fluor's new modular execution strategy. This execution model splits the project into process blocks and moves into designing modules that then drives the plot plan.
2014
Fluor completes major Kearl Oil Sands Expansion project
2014: Fluor completes major Kearl Oil Sands Expansion project
Fluor provided construction management services for both phases of Kearl Oil Sands: Phase 1 - Kearl Initial Development, Phase 2 - Kearl Expansion Project and the associated Cogeneration Power Plant and Fine Tailings Treatment & Distribution Projects. Fluor also provided engineering, procurement, and construction for infrastructure facilities, Utility Power Distribution (72-kva transmission) and a wide range of site-wide services to onsite construction contractors.
2015
Fluor wins innovation award
2015: Fluor wins innovation award
The Edison AwardsTM selected Fluor's innovative modular execution approach, utilized on Shell’s Quest project in Alberta, as the bronze award winner in the energy and conservation category in 2015.
2015
Final stretch of Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway opens to traffic
2015: Final stretch of Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway opens to traffic
As part of an equity consortium, Fluor was awarded the finance, design, construction and maintenance scope for the Right Honourable Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The 11km Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway project is the largest public-private partnership procured by Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. The Parkway is the Canadian access road portion of an end-to-end border transportation system that improves the flow of traffic through Canada’s busiest trade corridor, benefitting Ontario and Michigan and contributing to the broader economies of Canada and the United States.
2016
Utilities and Offsites EPFC scope underway for Ft. Hills Energy L.P.
2016: Utilities and Offsites EPFC scope underway for Ft. Hills Energy L.P.
Fort Hills Energy L.P. selected Fluor for its Engineering Design Specification project, which has transitioned to the engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction (EPFC) phase. To support Fluor’s integrated solutions approach, the partnership recently awarded Supreme Modular Fabrication Inc. (SMFI) a contract for the assembly of modules for the Fort Hills Utilities project.
2016
Fluor wins best practices award for modularization innovation
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2016: Fluor wins best practices award for modularization innovation
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The Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) named Fluor the 2016 Best Practices Award winner for modularization innovation on the Shell Quest Carbon Capture and Storage project. The Shell Quest project marked the full implementation of Fluor's innovative, first-of-a-kind modularization technology. Fluor assembled 69 interlocking modules at the site. The modular execution approach helped reduce the plot plan by 20% and capital costs by 30% from initial estimates.
2017
Fluor performs procurement and construction work for Ontario Power Generation's Darlington Nuclear Station refurbishment
2017: Fluor performs procurement and construction work for Ontario Power Generation's Darlington Nuclear Station refurbishment
Fluor was selected by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for the procurement and construction of refurbishment work at OPG's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, Canada. Fluor's scope will include the replacement of emergency power generators for Units 1 and 2. The refurbishment will support an additional 30 years of low-cost, clean power for Ontario.
2018
Fluor partnership is building the Gordie Howe International Bridge
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2018: Fluor partnership is building the Gordie Howe International Bridge
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Bridging North America, a partnership of Fluor, ACS Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Group Inc., is the private-sector partner selected to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the CAD$5.7 billion (approximate US$4.4 billion) Gordie Howe International Bridge project for Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA). The Gordie Howe International Bridge project includes a bridge and border crossing spanning the Detroit River and connecting Detroit, Michigan, U.S. and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. When completed, the bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
2018
Fluor joint venture to design and build LNG Canada project
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2018: Fluor joint venture to design and build LNG Canada project
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In October 2018, Fluor announced that LNG Canada made the final investment decision to build its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada. The project scope will initially consist of two liquefaction units (trains) for a total of approximately 14 million tons per year of LNG.
2019
Fluor Canada celebrates its 70-year anniversary
2019: Fluor Canada celebrates its 70-year anniversary
Fluor Canada celebrates its 70-year anniversary in 2019. In 1949, Fluor established the Fluor Corporation of Canada. Three years later, Fluor opened its first Canadian sales office in Toronto, Ontario. In 1973, Fluor moved its Canadian headquarters to Calgary, Alberta to better serve the growing oil and gas industry in Western Canada. Today, Fluor Canada serves Canadian and international clients from our Calgary, Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia offices, working on megaprojects in the Energy & Chemicals, Mining & Metals and Infrastructure industries.
2019
Fluor provides management and operations services for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
2019: Fluor provides management and operations services for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
Canadian National Energy Alliance (CNEA), a Fluor consortium, was selected as preferred bidder to manage and operate Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). The contract focuses on three main priorities: addressing Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL)’s radioactive waste and decommissioning responsibilities, delivering nuclear science and technology that supports the Government of Canada and industry and revitalizing the Chalk River Laboratories located in Ontario, Canada.