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BP oil spill reported in Alaska
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11/30/09 08:21 AM ET
The Associated Press is reporting an oil spill yesterday near BP’s Prudhoe Bay field on Alaska’s North Slope. The spill contaminated roughly 8,400 square feet of snow-covered tundra, according to the account.
Keep an eye on this one. A spill from a Prudhoe Bay pipeline in 2006 revealed a major corrosion problem, drew strong Capitol Hill interest and led to an overhaul of pipeline safety laws.
A state Department of Environmental Conservation official said it is not clear how much spilled or what caused it, but that no oil reached the bay, according to AP.
Keep an eye on this one. A spill from a Prudhoe Bay pipeline in 2006 revealed a major corrosion problem, drew strong Capitol Hill interest and led to an overhaul of pipeline safety laws.
A state Department of Environmental Conservation official said it is not clear how much spilled or what caused it, but that no oil reached the bay, according to AP.
The official said BP quickly sent crews to contain the spill and that the Environmental Protection Agency also sent a team.
The accident occurred at a pipeline that was not in operation at the time. "Initial cleanup began today," said BP Alaska spokesman Steve Rinehart in the AP account. "A visual inspection today revealed that the release rate is very slow ... and the released material is congealing in sort of a pile below the pipe.”
