BP shutting Alaskan oil field after spill

NEW YORK, Aug 7: Oil producer BP Plc said on Sunday it had started a phased shutdown of the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska, an action that will reduce Alaska North Slope oil production by an estimated 400,000 barrels per day.

The shutdown adds to BP's problems at its US oil operations after it suffered a massive explosion at a Texas refinery last year.

BP said the shutdown comes after the discovery of severe corrosion and a small spill from a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line.

BP spokesman Ronnie Chappell said the oil field would begin operations again only when the company and regulators believed there was no threat to the environment.

Chappell said that BP had never previously had to shut down this oil field, which includes 22 miles of pipelines.

REUTERS