At approximately 1015 hrs PDT on 14 April 2017, EPA Region 10 received a National Response Center (NRC) notification of a discharge of crude oil and gas from the wellhead of an oil well near Dead Horse, Alaska due to equipment failure. The well is operated by BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. (BPXA) and is located approximately two miles north of Dead Horse, AK and 1 mile inland from Beaufort Sea. The well is part of Drill Site 2 and the Drill Site complex is surrounded by snow covered tundra. The well is housed in a metal building and produces crude oil and natural gas. At the time of the report, the well was primarily releasing natural gas as well as a fine mist of crude oil. The mist of oil was reported to be blowing across the rill site concrete pad and potentially onto the surrounding tundra. The well is currently not on fire. All personnel have been evacuated from the well site and local fire is on scene. BP and local fire personnel are working on a strategy to approach, depressurize, and shut in the well to render the scene secure/safe. At that point, personnel will be able to assess the oil impacts to tundra. Unified Command has been established and made up of BPXA, EPA, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the North Slope Borough.
