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 the wet tundra below (this volume has been revised – see “Current Activities”).

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.  The leak is at a location other than the oiled insulation site first observed, and at least one other anomaly site shows evidence of minor oil seepage.  BPXA has since initiated a voluntary shut down of 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 continue 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 that time was caught in folding tanks placed underneath the pipeline and then recovered by vacuum truck.  The oil that escaped to the ground prior to tank placement 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 outer insulation layer pieces to look for the leak point.  The exact leak location was discovered in the early morning on August 9, 2006.  The leak location as well as the other significant anomaly locations are on or near 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 is undergoing x-ray and ultrasound testing on August 9 and 10 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 implementation of leak source access.  Up to three rope-mop skimmers are in use in the spill area and they will continue to be utilized until no longer effective.

Recovery volumes as of 1200 hours August 10 are 390.6 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 eventual off-loading, and new vacuum trucks have taken their place on-site.  No disposal of collected materials has occurred yet.  On August 10, 2006, BPXA announced that a preliminary estimate of crude oil released to the tundra is 15 bbls (initial estimate was 4-5 bbls).  This estimate is based upon skimmer recovery volumes only and does not take into account oily water recovered through direct suction methods.  Skimmer operations are continuing, so revision of this volume is expected.

A press and media tour of the spill site took place on August 10, 2006.  BPXA officials escorted the approximately 20 members of national and international press and media outlets on a tour of the spill site and held a press conference.  Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski along with the ADEC Commissioner and other officials also visited the site on this date and participated in the press conference.  

A clean-up and disposal/recycling plan for all recovered materials was approved by the Unified Command on August 10, 2006.  The plan outlines weed burning as the intended method of residual contamination removal from the tundra once on-water recovery efforts are no longer effective.

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

Anomaly sites will continue to be monitored for any change in status.  

Installation of bolt-on clamps is expected to begin later on August 10, 2006.  All 16 significant anomaly sites are slated for clamp installation.  Clamp installation involves ultrasound testing, pipeline wrapping removal, and crane lifting operations.

An escorted press tour of the spill site similar to that of August 10, 2006, will be held on August 11 for additional media personnel.  The Governor and Alaska State officials will not be present for this event.

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 11, 2006.  Shutdown of the Western Operating Area is planned for although BPXA is evaluating operational modifications that would allow production to continue there.  Shutdown consists of production cessation but the idling of facility operations to maintain equipment stability.

The START member on-scene since August 7 is scheduled to demobilize on August 11.  EPA will continue to monitor the incident progress.  An ADEC representative 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.