BP plans to limit commercial tour access to Prudhoe Bay

by The Associated Press

BP Alaska Exploration Inc. plans to suspend commercial tour access through the Prudhoe Bay oil field to the Arctic Ocean this summer, citing security concerns.

But the state owns the land and the lease says the Department of Natural Resources has to sign off on access limitations, said Mike Abbott, Gov. Tony Knowles’ legislative director.

State officials will go along if the restriction is warranted, Abbott said, but they want to discuss the matter with BP first. A meeting is planned for mid-April.

“If there is a legitimate security concern ... we want to know about it,” Abbott said.

The rugged Dalton Highway is open to the general public as far north as Deadhorse. Half a dozen tour companies have agreements with BP to cross the Prudhoe Bay oil field to the Arctic Ocean. Some tours include oil facilities, while others are just a shuttle to dip a toe in the ocean, a few miles from Deadhorse.

BP spokesman Ronnie Chappell said his company plans to suspend all commercial tour access for a year.

“We have assessed the security situation at Prudhoe Bay and consulted with security experts and taken the decision to suspend commercial tours this year,” Chappell said.

BP will take another look at the issue in its discussion with the state, Chappell said.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., owned by a consortium of oil companies including BP, has made a similar decision to suspend tours of its Valdez Marine Terminal.