UPDATE 1-Suncor to start maintenance shutdown at upgrader

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CALGARY, Alberta, May 15 (Reuters) - Suncor Energy Inc (SU.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it is poised to begin a 30-day maintenance shutdown on one of its two upgraders, cutting output at the oil sands project to 200,000 barrels per day.

Suncor, Canada's No. 2 oil sands producer, said the shutdown will begin on Friday. A second upgrader at its project site near Fort McMurray in northern Alberta will continue to operate.

Output at the facility ran at 233,000 barrels per day in April but the company expects production this year to average between 275,000 to 285,000 barrels per day as it completes a major expansion of its operations.

The scheduled shutdown was announced last month.

Earlier on Thursday, Syncrude Canada Ltd, the biggest oil sands producer, said it is poised to restart a coker after a 45-day scheduled maintenance shutdown, boosting output from its northern Alberta operations by about 100,000 bpd. (Reporting by Scott Haggett; Editing by Renato Andrade)