Strong refining results helped two of Canada’s biggest oil producers reach different milestones in the third quarter: Suncor generated record cash flow, and Cenovus topped one million barrels of oil equivalent a day for the first time.

Suncor reported $6.7 billion in adjusted funds from operations for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up 75 per cent from a year earlier.

Its profit more than doubled to $3.8 billion, and refined-fuel sales averaged a third-quarter record of about 677,000 barrels a day.

During a 37-day maintenance project at Suncor’s Edmonton refinery, an employee’s idea kept roughly 46,000 barrels a day moving through the plant and added more than $50 million to free cash flow, CEO Rich Kruger told analysts.

Suncor raised its quarterly dividend by 10 per cent and increased monthly share buybacks from $500 million to $750 million.

Cenovus’s earnings rose from $2.9 billion in the previous quarter to $3.4 billion as three oilsands projects set production records and refining profits nearly doubled.

Cenovus returned $1.9 billion to shareholders, mostly through share buybacks.