Another Day, Another Oil Spill in Alaska

How Many More Oil Spills Before Alaska is Toast?

A Christmas Day oil spill at ConocoPhillips’ Kuparuk oil field in Alaska caused by a ruptured pipeline  was deemed  one of the biggest-ever spills on the North Slope by  the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Ruptured hole in 6 inch flow line. The size of the hole is approximately 3.5 x .25 inches. Date: 12/27-28 . Photo Credit: ADEC

Kuparuk 2U Pad Crude Oil Spill — Jan 5-6, 2008. Photo Credit: ADEC – J. Ebel

About 100,000 gallons of oil-water mix escaped a corroded water-injection pipeline at North America’s second-biggest field,  Kuparuk, which can produce up to 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

A smaller spill also occurred at BP’s Milne Point field elsewhere on the North Slope three days ago.

Other incidents in the area include spill of oil, gas and other fluids in 2008 at the Kuparuk oil field, and a 200,000-gallon crude oil spill at BP’s  Prudhoe Bay oil field in 2006.

North America’s second largest oil field, Kuparuk is owned by a consortium of big oil including  ConocoPhillips (the field operator and majority owner),  BP the second largest shareholder has about 40 percent, while Chevron and Exxon Mobil own minor shares.

Related Links:

• Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
• PERP Response Photo Gallery [Link includes data and photos on Alaska oil spills]