Alaska officials probing alleged BP well blowout

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Repuke hog heaven ...

ANCHORAGE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Alaska regulators have launched an investigation into an alleged unreported blowout and spill last month at the Prudhoe Bay oil field, operated by BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) unit BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., officials said on Thursday.
According to the allegations by workers forwarded to officials by a well-known industry whistleblower, a blowout on Dec. 6 at a rig operated by BP contractor Nabors Alaska Drilling Inc. sent natural gas and liquids 70 feet up into the air.

Ed Meggert, on-scene coordinator for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, said an official from his department was sent to the North Slope to begin interviewing workers on Thursday.

The allegations were publicized by Chuck Hamel, a retired oil broker living in Alexandria, Virginia. Hamel has spent several years as a self-styled industry whistleblower, coordinating reports from workers expressing concerns about operations in Alaska.

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http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh44526_2005-01-28_02-35-44_n27104604_newsml

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