BP marks 40 years at Prudhoe Bay
USA
ANCHORAGE, June 20, 2017 – Supermajor BP said on Monday it was celebrating 40 years of production at Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay oilfield, naming it as “the most productive US oil field of all time.”
The field, whose initial lifespan was projected at 30 years, has produced more than 12.5 billion barrels of crude to date, the company added.
“The field has repeatedly defied the odds and remains a major contributor to US energy security and to the state’s economy,” said in a statement Janet Weiss, BP’s regional president for Alaska.
“Today, we celebrate this extraordinary history, and look forward to working with the State of Alaska to ensure that Prudhoe Bay has an equally bright future.”
Prudhoe Bay, whose recoverable reserves were initially estimated at 9.6 billion barrels, currently produces some 281,800 bopd, or about 55% of Alaska’s crude output, according to BP. It remains the US’ number-three asset, behind the Eagle Ford sale play and the Spraberry field, and supports about 16,000 jobs in Alaska.
The field, nevertheless, has also been the site of oil and gas spills, including a major 2006 leak of some 5,054 barrels of crude and a smaller gas leak in April.
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