AOGCC to evaluate Prudhoe pipe changes

The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is going to evaluate BP Exploration (Alaska)’s plan to reroute Prudhoe Bay unit eastern operating area production and has tentatively scheduled a hearing for Sept. 26.

The commission said it will evaluate the potential impact of BP’s plans on pools within the Badami, Endicott and Prudhoe Bay fields, and may prescribe rules on commingling of production and on production measuring equipment.

At issue are new piping connections BP plans to install to reroute production in the Prudhoe Bay unit from two eastern operating flow stations via the Endicott sales line and to Pump Station No. 1 on the trans-Alaska pipeline and one EOA flow station via the Lisburne pipeline. The commission said BP has also proposed connecting the crude oil topping unit to the Endicott sales line and to construct new facilities at Pump Station 1. The proposed work includes new piping connections to reroute production from Flow Station 1, Flow Station 2 and Flow Station 3 to Pump Station 1. The commission said BP also proposes to connect the crude oil topping unit to the Endicott sales line to enable resumption of diesel fuel production, and to have Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. construct new facilities at Pump Station 1 to handle pigging solids from EOA and western operating area lines.

Production from the Prudhoe Bay EOA was shut-in Aug. 6 after BP found oil staining on transit line insulation and a small leak from a transit line while investigating indications of corrosion in the transit line obtained from a smart pig run.

—Petroleum News