User:Arturo at BP/Prudhoe Bay

Prudhoe Bay 2006–2007
In March 2006, corrosion of a BP oil transit pipeline in Prudhoe Bay transporting oil to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline led to the largest oil spill on record for Alaska's North Slope. According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), a total of 212,252 gallons of oil was spilled, covering 2 acres of the North Slope. BP's investigation of the leak suggested it may have been caused by sediment collecting in the bottom of the pipe, protecting corrosive bacteria from chemicals sent through the pipeline to fight these bacteria. During the government's investigation into the spill, BP was criticized for cost cutting regarding monitoring and maintenance of the pipeline. In particular, BP did not use pipeline inspection gauges (smart pigs), devices that clean and monitor oil pipelines for corrosion. BP completed the cleanup of the spill by May 2006, including removal of contaminated gravel and vegetation, which was replaced with new material from the Arctic tundra.

Following the spill, the company was ordered by regulators to inspect the 35 km of pipelines in Prudhoe Bay using smart pigs. In late July 2006, the smart pigs monitoring the pipelines found 16 places where corrosion had thinned pipeline walls. A BP crew sent to inspect the pipe in early August discovered a leak and small spill, following which, BP announced that the eastern portion of the Alaskan field would be shut down for repairs on the pipeline, with approval from the DOT. The shutdown resulted in a reduction of 200000 oilbbl/d until work began to bring the eastern field to full production on 2 October 2006. In total, 23 oilbbl of oil were spilled and 176 oilbbl were "contained and recovered", according to ADEC. The spill was cleaned up and there was no impact upon wildlife.

After the shutdown, BP pledged to replace 26 km of its Alaskan oil transit pipelines and the company completed work on the 16 mi of new pipeline by the end of 2008. In November 2007, BP pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act and paid a $20 million fine for the March 2006 oil spill. There was no charge brought for the smaller spill in August 2006 due to BP's quick response and cleanup.

On 16 October 2007, ADEC officials reported a "toxic spill" from a BP pipeline in Prudhoe Bay comprising 2,000 gallons of primarily methanol (methyl alcohol) mixed with crude oil and water, which spilled onto a gravel pad and frozen tundra pond.