NGL spill crimps Prudhoe Bay oil output

Oil production from the BP-operated Prudhoe Bay field took a significant dip recently after a spill occurred during planned work at a blending module near Pump Station 1 of the trans-Alaska pipeline.

The spill, which BP reported on Feb. 19, involved natural gas liquids, or NGLs. The spilled NGLs were contained in the module and evaporated, said Dawn Patience, spokeswoman for BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.

NGLs produced from North Slope fields are blended with crude oil for shipment down the pipeline. The leak occurred during planned work on the metering system in the small blending module, Patience said.

“The team quickly isolated the meter, stopping the release,” she said. “No one was injured during the incident.”

The spill triggered a fire suppression system, though no fire occurred, Patience said. The size of the spill was unclear. The spill combined with the scheduled work to briefly curtail Prudhoe Bay production, she said.

Production was 315,930 barrels on Feb. 19, down from 345,466 barrels the day before, state records show. Production was 306,110 barrels on Feb. 20 and 312,103 barrels on Feb. 21, rising to 344,028 barrels on Feb. 22. BP notified the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission about the incident, Patience said.

—Wesley Loy