On March 26, 2005 Conoco Phillips Alaska Inc. (CPAI) reported a produce water spill from a flowline at drill site 2H in the Kuparuk Crude Oil Production field approximately 40 miles west of Prudhoe Bay, on the North Slope of Alaska. The source of the spill is a 6-inch produced water/seawater injection line that transports water from the Central Processing Facility #2 (CPF-2) to Drill Site 2H for injection. The leak appears to be located in the below grade section of the cased pipeline located under the gravel pad. The exact cause of the leak is yet to be determined. A line excavation and inspection may be required before the cause can be determined. A repair plan for the pipeline is being developed. The first report indicted the spill of produced water is larger than 500 gallons, but the exact size is unknown. Subsequently on Sunday, March 27 CPAI provided an updated spill volume estimate of 111,300 gals (2,650 bbls) of a mixture of 30% seawater and 70 % produce water. This water results from the crude oil / water separation process and was being sent back to the well pad for water flood of the reservoir, it has a reported hydrocarbon content of app580 parts per million,(ppm). The spill flowed from the gravel pad well manifold area off onto frozen snow covered tundra on the north side of the well pad. Based upon spill delineation efforts which involved on the ground surveys along with an aerial overflight using an aircraft equipped with FLIR sensing data the total impact area is estimated to be approximately 2 acres. Kalubik Creek is located approximately ½ mile west of the spill site, a Spectacled Eider nesting area is approximately ½ mile north-east of the spill site, and an environmentally sensitive area has been identified approximately ½ mile south-east of the spill site. None of these areas have been impacted. There have been no reports of impacted wildlife. Spill remediation efforts will involve surrounding the area with shoreseal boom, removing clean snow overburden, and flushing the area with clean water while recovering fluids with vac trucks, these activities are expected to last 3 weeks. EPA activated a Historic Properties Specialist through the START contractor who determined there are no known cultural resources in the spill area. The ADEC has two responders on scene particpating directly in the Incident Management Team while providing government oversight of response activites. EPA will continue to monitor response efforts through coordionation with ADEC on scen personnel and the RP.
