While ConocoPhillips faces national scrutiny over a future Arctic oil drilling site known as Willow, state regulators took testimony Thursday about an uncontrolled natural gas leak last year at Alpine, an oilfield about 30 miles away.
The company rerouted the gas through a waste disposal well within days of the 2022 incident, but it took more than three weeks to stop the leak at the source. ConocoPhillips employees repeatedly told the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission that gas was not detected beyond the gravel drilling pad, known as CD-1, and that no harm to people or wildlife was observed from the gas that emerged through the tundra and gravel.
The Alpine leak worried residents in nearby Nuiqsut enough for them to evacuate. Nuiqsut Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak said villagers remain concerned about the health impacts of emissions, particularly on pregnant women, infants and elders. Some sections of the well were enforced with concrete, to prevent events like this. But the source of the leak was determined to be from an area 3,000 feet down, from a relatively shallow formation not previously known to contain much gas. Commissioner Jessie Chmielowski asked why the company doesn’t use more concrete.
“Do we have an adequate well design that addresses any kind of significant hydrocarbon zones or abnormally pressured geostrata, as is mandated by the regulation? If that required pumping more cement, we would. Absolutely,” Livingston said. “Or we would figure out a way to make the well designed adequate for what we have identified.”
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Alaska regulators examine ConocoPhillips' 2022 Alpine gas leak near NuiqsutConocoPhillips told state regulators that nothing like last year's Alpine gas leak has ever happened in its 50-year history in Alaska. But for opponents of the company's nearby Willow project, the incident represents a cautionary tale.
Read more »
Staff Sgt. Danielle Kerfeld named Alaska Airman of the Year for 2022In February, Kerfeld was recognized as the Alaska Airman of the Year as one of 12 select junior enlisted service members to be recognized as the Alaska Service member of the year award by ASYMCA of Alaska.
Read more »
Bellissima Cosmetics required by state to issue refunds for products sold at 2022 Alaska State FairAlaska Attorney General Treg Taylor announced Thursday that Bellissima Cosmetics will be required to issue refunds or take back products sold at the 2022 Alaska State Fair after a customer tried returning a product one day after purchasing it. The State of Alaska said Bellissma's salespeople drew customers into their booth for a free facial, but solicited many of them to buy thousands of dollars of cosmetic creams and devices. The State of Alaska argued the company is required to 'revoke the purchase' within five business days if the customer makes a purchase $10 or more at a location that's not the place of business and the seller must give written notice. The state said consumers who bought more than $10 of products from Bellissima must return unopened cosmetics by April 21 or request a refund of $100 from the company by May 6, if they choose to keep their products.
Read more »
2023 Seahawks Free Agents: Johnathan Abram signs with New Orleans SaintsAbram played in Seattle’s final six games of the 2022 season.
Read more »
The Little-Known Origin Story behind the 2022 Nobel Prize in PhysicsIn 1949 physicist Chien-Shiung Wu devised an experiment that documented evidence of entanglement. Her findings have been hidden in plain sight for more than 70 years. WomensHistoryMonth
Read more »
Democratic officials scrambling after Sinema delays vote on FAA nominee Phil WashingtonScoop: Sen. Maria Cantwell was forced to scrap a scheduled committee confirmation vote for President Biden’s pick to lead the FAA, after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema raised last-minute questions about the nominee, according to people familiar with the matter.
Read more »