Corrosion forces BP to shut Alaskan oil field

Anchorage, Alaska — BP Exploration Alaska Inc. has started an indefinite shutdown of its Prudhoe Bay oil field following the discovery of “unexpectedly severe corrosion” and a small spill from a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line.

The phased shutdown, which will reduce BP’s Alaska North Slope oil production by 400,000 barrels/day, follows the discovery of 16 “anomalies” in 12 locations from a smart pig run — passing devices through a pipeline — on the eastern side of the oil field.

According to BP, follow up inspections of corrosion-related wall thinning revealed a leak and small spill of around 5 barrels. The pipeline was subsequently shutdown on 6 Aug and US state and federal officials notified, said a 7 Aug company statement.

According to Bob Malone, BP America chairman and president, the new inspection data and the leak cast doubt on the condition of the Prudhoe Bay oil transit lines. He stated: “We will not resume operation of the field until we and government regulators are satisfied that they can be operated safely and pose no threat to the environment.”

BP is now bringing in additional resources to speed inspection of remaining Prudhoe Bay oil transit lines. The company said it has so far carried out smart pigging inspections over about 40% of the 22 miles of oil transit pipeline that it operates in the Alaskan location.