Current:Home > BackAlaska Orders Review of All North Slope Oil Wells After Spill Linked to Permafrost-InfoLens
Alaska Orders Review of All North Slope Oil Wells After Spill Linked to Permafrost
View Date:2024-12-23 11:07:58
Alaska’s main oil and gas regulatory body has ordered a review of all North Slope wells after a spill last spring was connected to thawing permafrost, subsidence and a cracked casing.
The emergency order, issued Monday by the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), said the outer casing that cracked had been set in the permafrost.
In April, one of BP’s older wells leaked oil and gas for days before it could be shut down. The company reported that roughly 45,000 kilograms of gas and 63 gallons of crude leaked. According to Alaska Public Media, BP blamed the failure then on a piece of a well casing that buckled under pressure from thawing permafrost.
As a result, the AOGCC said it has ordered all companies on the North Slope to review their wells to look for similar issues and to shut down any wells that have the same construction.
In parts of the Arctic, permafrost is thawing as temperatures warm due to climate change. But on the North Slope, the thawing that can cause problems at oil wells is likely to be attributed to human error.
Tim Robertson, an oil spill response and prevention consultant who has worked on the North Slope, said that companies typically use a packing fluid between the pipe that carries the oil or gas and its outer casing. “That fluid is intended to protect the heat transfer from the products being produced so it doesn’t transfer out to the permafrost,” he said. “It’s like an insulation.”
Failing to protect the permafrost can have extreme consequences. “A well goes thousands of feet through the permafrost, and that whole layer has to be protected or the integrity of the well itself is threatened if the heat transfers and melts.”
Though the call for a review of all wells is not unprecedented, Robertson said, it’s also not an everyday occurrence.
AOGCC Commissioner Kathy Foerster told Alaska Public Media that the BP well that leaked was older, and that she didn’t anticipate newer fields on the North Slope having similarly designed wells. Operators on the slope will have until the end of the year to complete their review.
veryGood! (48)
Related
- She was found dead while hitchhiking in 1974. An arrest has finally been made.
- 'Saturday Night' review: Throwback comedy recaptures fabulous buzz of the first 'SNL'
- Travis Kelce Shares How He Handles Pressure in the Spotlight
- Kenya Moore, Madison LeCroy, & Kandi Burruss Swear by This $5.94 Hair Growth Hack—Get It on Sale Now!
- Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
- Michael Keaton Reveals Why He’s Dropping His Stage Name for His Real Name
- October Prime Day 2024 Home Decor Deals Worth Shopping—$11 Holiday Plants & 75% Off Fall and Winter Finds
- Tennessee corrections chief says new process for executing inmates will be completed by end of year
- 'Heretic' spoilers! Hugh Grant spills on his horror villain's fears and fate
- State police recruit’s death in Massachusetts overshadows graduation ceremony
Ranking
- Taking stock of bonds: Does the 60/40 rule still have a role in retirement savings?
- Accelerate Your Savings with $5.94 Deals for Car Lovers Before Amazon Prime Day 2024 Ends in a Few Hours
- Severe solar storm could stress power grids even more as US deals with major back-to-back hurricanes
- As schools ban mobile phones, parents seek a 'safe' option for kids
- Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation
- AI ΩApexTactics: Delivering a Data-Driven, Precise Trading Experience for Investors
- Sandra Bullock Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance With Keanu Reeves for Speed Reunion
- Premiums this year may surprise you: Why health insurance is getting more expensive
Recommendation
-
Man killed in Tuskegee University shooting in Alabama is identified. 16 others were hurt
-
Verizon says issue has been resolved after thousands reported outage Monday morning
-
In remote mountain communities cut off by Helene, communities look to the skies for aid
-
As schools ban mobile phones, parents seek a 'safe' option for kids
-
Benny Blanco Reveals Selena Gomez's Rented Out Botanical Garden for Lavish Date Night
-
Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, suffers stroke
-
Best Amazon Prime Day 2024 Cleaning Deals – Save Up to 64% on Bissell, Dyson & More, Finds Starting at $4
-
Traveling? These Are The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals on Life-Saving Travel Accessories, Starting at $7