BP Spills 4,200 Gallons of Oil, Methanol, Other Fluids at Prudhoe Bay Facility

DEC officials said the spill happened during a leak test when the pipeline pressure reached its limit and failed.

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By KTVA CBS 11

Story Created: Jul 18, 2011 at 2:45 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Jul 18, 2011 at 2:45 PM AKDT

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is investigating an oil spill that occurred over the weekend at a BP facility in Prudhoe Bay. The spill was reported to Alaska State Troopers around 4 a.m. Saturday.

According to the DEC, more than 4,200 gallons of methanol, production fluids and crude oil spilled at the BP Lisburne production facility.

DEC officials said the spill happened during a leak test when the pipeline pressure reached its limit and failed.

The oily mixture covered a nearby gravel pit and surrounding tundra.

BP has brought in a private contractor to help remove the spill with vacuum trucks and absorbent boom.

The spill remains under investigation.

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Old Alaskan said on Monday, Jul 18 at 4:34 PM

As it was told to me by an engineer who was there the test was to see at what pressure it would fail so the test section was pumped up until it failed giveing the engineers the criteria they needed to whit the pressure it will fail at. The containment area did it's job and contained the liquid in the area it was supposed to stay in. So the question that must be asked was it an unintentional spill or a successsful test?

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