After tests of safety valves on wells at the Prudhoe Bay oilfield revealed high failure rates, state regulators have ordered BP Exploration Alaska to boost inspections there. The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission told BP to conduct monthly inspections of the well valves, an increase from the normal six-month cycle. The valves, designed to close to prevent leaks and spills, had failure rates of over 10%. Those failures were found on wells at six of the 22 production pads in western Prudhoe Bay. The cause of the problem remains unknown. The commission has ordered BP to turn over records so that possible causes can be investigated, as well as detailed information on corrective action taken.
