Crude spills from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay pipeline

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-03-02T234349Z_01_N02422553_RTRIDST_0_ENERGY-ALASKA-SPILL-UPDATE-1.XML

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, March 2 (Reuters) - A leak from a feeder line carrying North Slope crude oil to the trans-Alaska pipeline caused a spill and triggered a shutdown of some activities at the biggest U.S. oil field, state and oil company officials said on Thursday.

The spill from the pipeline at the western part of the Prudhoe Bay oil field was discovered early Thursday morning by field operator BP Exploration (Alaska). Along with BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research), major owners of the Prudhoe Bay unit are ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research).

"Right now we don't know how big of a spill we have," said Daren Beaudo, spokesman for BP Exploration (Alaska).

The affected line runs between a gathering center, which holds the crude oil produced from various drill sites, and the intake station of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, said the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

<snip>

The gathering center, one of six such facilities on the North Slope that separates the crude oil, natural gas and water that is pumped out of wells, normally handles about 100,000 barrels of oil daily, Beaudo said.

...more...

[joemurphy]

1. Oh good. All the more reason to open new fields in ANWAR, n/t

[bahrbearian]

2. I heard it was only the size of a postage stamp.

"Right now we don't know how big of a spill we have," said Daren Beaudo, spokesman for BP Exploration (Alaska)

[UpInArms]

4. reminds me of a song

Tell me what's gone wrong.
I tilt my head there, under the faucet, but when I turn it on -- dry as paper.
Call the neighbors.
Who's to blame for what's going on?
In the dark without a clue I'm just the same as you.

O, they tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy and there's been a small spill.
Not a lot, no, just a drop.
But there you are mistaken, you know you are.
I wonder just how long they knew our well was poisoned but they let us just drink on.

O, they tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy and there's been a small spill.
All that it amounts to is a tear in a salted sea.
Someone's been a bit untidy, they'll have it cleaned up in a week.
But the week is over and now it's grown into years since I was told that I should be calm, there's nothing to fear here.
But I drank that water for years, my wife and my children.

Tell me, where to now, if your fight for a bearable life can be fought and lost in you backyard?

O, don't tell us there's poison in the well,
that someone's been a bit untidy, that there's been a small spill.
All that it amounts to is a tear in a salted sea.
Someone's been a bit untidy, they'll have it cleaned up in a week.

10,000 Maniacs

[mbperrin]

3. Must only be a drop of oil or so......read this.......

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:L-Mwg997vRkJ:www.aapg.org/energy_summit/
EnergySummitBooklet.pdf+modern+oil+drilling+leaves+a+very+small+footprint&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3

About middle way down....

>snip<Production of oil today is vastly different because of
economic conditions, technological advances, and changing
societal environmental values. Today, no well operator is
willing to lose a drop of oil or a cubic foot of gas because
that is money. Both the public and the industry absolutely
agree: spills of any kind are bad.>snip<


See? this is an official booklet and no one would be willing to lose a drop, so this spill must be smaller than that, right?

So the spill is nothing, but I DO hear the choco ration is being increased! YUMMY!

[WhoDoYouTrust]

5. "Significant Oil Spill at Prudoe Bay"

Just heard on the news. So far 2500 gallons recovered.

Per:

www.ktuu.com

Computer illiterate, don't know how to cut and paste.

An oil spill in Prudhoe Bay shut down 10 percent of North Slope production today after a visual inspection caught the leak this morning.

No word yet on how much has spilled.

I think I did it!

[Lucky Luciano]

6. cut and paste:

Move the mouse to the text you want to copy and paste. Then press the left button and drag the mouse over the text you want to copy. It will be highlighted. Release the button. Then press "Ctrl-C" (both buttons at the same time. Then go to the place we want to paste with the mouse. Click there. Then press "Ctrl-V." Hope that helps.

[northofdenali]

7. Anchorage Daily News also has info:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7493828p-7403969c.html

<snip> An unknown quantity of crude oil spilled Thursday from a 34-inch diameter pipeline at the giant Prudhoe Bay field on the North Slope.

Dangerous fumes were preventing crews from cleanup work.

Crude oil could be seen on the snow-covered tundra. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman Lynda Giguere said the oil was pooling on the frozen ground.

Officials had not yet estimated the size of the spill, but they believe a considerable pool went onto the tundra before the leak was stopped.

Ed Meggert, a DEC official in Fairbanks, said it's possible the pipe had been leaking for some time. Corrosion is a constant threat in Prudhoe's myriad pipelines, but Meggert said the cause of the leak remains unknown.

Operators with BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. discovered the spill at 5:45 a.m. Thursday. <snip>

As our conscientious oil companies once again fuck our state up, and Governor Frank the Bank gives away even more tax money to these assholes. And we want them in charge of a gas pipeline? NOT. And where the fuck is Alyeska and their new multi-million dollar mobile command center? Probably sitting in Valdez with fingers up their collective asses.

Now when they open up the Elliot Highway corridor to ORV's it won't matter. The tundra is already screwed by crude. :mad::nuke::mad: