In a development that casts doubt on repeated claims by the Bush administration that oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would not harm the environment, a new report by the petroleum giant BP details loads of safety and maintenance problems at its oil drilling operation in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Among other findings, the report, which was based on interviews with 300 BP workers and contractors, concluded that “leak-through” of valves meant to shut down or divert oil and gas in the pipeline “is a significant problem and under certain circumstances may pose a potential hazard to workers and equipment.” The report also found a “large and growing” maintenance backlog on fire-, gas-, and pressure-safety systems. BP, which runs the Prudhoe Bay operation for a consortium of companies including ExxonMobil and Phillips Petroleum, said it would act quickly on the report’s 78 recommendations.
