United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region X
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

At approximately 1400 hours ADT on August 6, 2006, Region 10 Phone Duty Officer (PDO) Matt Carr received notification from BP Exploration (Alaska) (BPXA) of a leak from a 30-inch diameter, elevated, crude oil transit line located between Flow Station 2 (FS2) and Flow Station 1 (FS1) within the Eastern Operating Area (EOA) of the Prudhoe Bay oilfield.  BPXA reported that 4 to 5 bbls (168 - 210 gallons) of crude oil was released to wet tundra below.

The cause of the leak is under investigation.  Pipeline integrity data collected from "smart pig" operations in July 2006, released in a preliminary report obtained on Friday, August 4, 2006, revealed 16 significant anomalies at 12 locations along this pipeline.  These anomalies are associated with corrosion-related pipeline wall thinning.  On August 6, 2006, upon observing oil-stained insulation at one of the anomaly locations (but no active leak), BPXA shut down the FS2 facility that fed this pipeline and closed off the FS2 transit pipeline at the source (FS2) and receiving (FS1) ends.  This pipeline leak was discovered on August 6, 2006 shortly after the FS2 facility shutdown and at a location other than the oiled insulation site first observed.  At least one other anomaly site shows evidence of minor oil seepage.  BPXA has since initiated a voluntary shut down all Prudhoe Bay oil production work due to concerns posed by the current oil leak and related pipeline integrity issues as well as those posed a larger crude oil spill from the nearby GC2 transit pipeline in March, 2006.  

Weather conditions are mostly clear skies with light winds.  Daytime temperature is approximately 50 degrees F.

Response operations contine 24-hours.  The leak of oil from the FS2 transit line stopped on its own at approximately 0400 hours on August 8, 2006.  Oil leaking from the pipeline prior to then was caught in folding tanks placed underneath the pipeline and this contained oil was recovered by vacuum truck.  The released oil has impacted an estimated 6,200-square foot tundra area.  Rope-mop skimmers remain in use in the impacted tundra area to remove oil from the marshy surface.  Two vacuum trucks have been assisting in the recovery operations, and plywood walkways were placed in the spill area to protect tundra from foot traffic damage. The transit line remains blocked in with a vacuum on each end.  

The leak stoppage allowed workers to remove the outer insulation layer in the vicinity of the leak over the night of August 8-9, 2006.  The leak point, discovered in the early morning on August 9, was found to be a small opening on the bottom of the pipeline.  Removal of the insulation did not cause further leakage, and the hole was patched early the morning of August 9.  The area around the patch underwent x-ray testing and will undergo further ultrasound testing to verify the correct placement of the patch and determine the pipeline's integrity to accept a more secure clamp.  Recovery by skimmer of oil from the tundra's water surface resumed on August 9 after being suspended the day prior during preparation for and implementaion of leak source access.    

Recovery volumes as of 1800 hours August 9 are 305 bbls of oil/water mixture recovered from the tundra's water surface and 197 bbls of oil recovered in the folding tanks up until the leak stoppage early on August 8.  The original vacuum trucks recovering these liquids have been moved from the site to the nearby FS2 facility for off-loading of collected material into holding tanks, and new vacuum trucks have taken their place on-site.  No disposal of collected materials has occurred yet.

Due to concerns over the integrity of the other areas of weakness detected during the smart pig run, BPXA is installing patches over the confirmed leak site and other anomaly locations that exhibit signs of potential leakage or seepage.  As of August 9, 2006, the leak site and five other suspect anomaly sites have been patched.  All 16 significant anomaly sites will eventually be secured with a metal clamp bolted in place.   The patch and clamp installations are not intended as permanent repairs but rather for temporary pipeline stabilization as a source control measure.  Folding tanks remain underneath each anomaly location as a precaution.

Freeze protection and corrosion inhibition operations are underway to protect oilfield infrastucture during the shutdown.

Anomaly sites will continue to be evaluated for the need for patch installation.  Installation of bolted clamps is expected to begin on August 10, 2006.  All 16 significant anomaly sites are slated for clamp installation.  Clamp installation involves ultrasound testing and pipeline wrapping removal.

Escorted press and media tours of the spill site are planned for August 10 and 11, 2006.  Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski along with the ADEC Commissioner and other officials are also expected to visit the site on August 10, 2006.

Fluids removed from the tundra area (oil/water mixture) will be stored separately from the crude oil recovered directly from the pipeline leak.  A disposal and recycling plan for all recovered materials is under development.

Further assessment of the transit line to evaluate the corrosion damage is still to be conducted.

As a result of the FS2 transit pipeline inspection data and associated oil release, BPXA is in the process of shutting down the Prudhoe Bay oilfield, beginning first with the EOA.  The EOA shutdown is expected to be completed by August 10, 2006.  Shutdown of the Western Operating Area will then follow.  Shutdown consists of production cessation but idle facility operations to maintain equipment stability.

START and ADEC representatives will remain in Prudhoe Bay to monitor spill cleanup progress, discuss operational procedures with BPXA response planning and management personnel, and observe site cleanup operations.

BPXA will continue planning for upcoming response-related activities that include the de-inventorying the FS2 transit line, conducting recovered material volume assessment and disposal, and final tundra cleanup actions.

None.