New Prudhoe Bay Spill Blows Back Off Well House, Covers 17K SF Of Pad, Plus Tundra With Oil & Water

[hatrack]

A new spill has occurred at the Prudhoe Bay oil field, the Department of Environmental Conservation said Tuesday. The spill was discovered Monday by a BP oil field operator doing a routine inspection at a drill site. It was coming from a 6-inch pipeline carrying a mixture of oil, water and natural gas, officials said.

BP spokesman Steve Rinehart said the break occurred where the production line left the well house. "That break triggered the automatic shut-off valve of the well," he said.

The force of the release destroyed the back of the well house and blew open its front doors. When the pipe separated, it misted the surrounding area.

The DEC said about 17,000 square feet of the well's gravel pad was sprayed with oil, as well as an undetermined area of tundra. The cause and amount of the spill were not immediately known.

EDIT

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