posted 08-08- 10:52 PM            

Pombo Statement on Prudhoe Bay Supply Disruption

WASHINGTON - House Resources Committee Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-Calif.) issued the following statement with regard to BP Alaska's planned shutdown in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

"The supply disruption in Prudhoe Bay is going to have serious ramifications for my constituents and all West coast consumers in the coming days and weeks," Chairman Pombo said. "Unfortunately, motorists can expect even more increases in the already-high price at the pump, and should plan to conserve fuel or take alternative means of travel if possible. In the meantime, I urge BP to dedicate the full-breadth of its resources to make repairs and return these critical pipelines to safe service as soon as humanly possible.

"Supply disruptions are only serious when supply itself is very limited and demand is high," Chairman Pombo continued. "That's exactly why this disruption could have dire consequences for my constituents in California and all consumers on the West coast: outdated federal laws have red-taped this country into dangerous supply-shortage vulnerabilities and many in Congress have willfully and repeatedly refused to do anything about it. This disruption is yet another stark reminder that America needs more American energy."

Background Information, Facts and Figures:

1. Prudhoe Bay is the largest oil field ever discovered and produced in North America. Production in Prudhoe Bay started in 1977. The field has produced roughly 11 billion barrels of oil for the U.S. since that time.

2. The shutdown in Prudhoe Bay will likely take many weeks. Each of the wells has to be filled with anti-freeze because they go through roughly 2000 feet of permanently frozen ground (permafrost).

3. The 400,000-barrel-per-day disruption in Prudhoe Bay represents one-sixth, or 16 percent, of the oil that supplies the West coast.

4. The current total excess supply in the World is only 1.5 million barrels per day. http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/issues/emr/report/index.htm

5. Safe production in ANWR alone could deliver 1.5 million barrels per day to California and other West coast states. This would be happening today had President Clinton not vetoed ANWR energy production in 1995. http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/issues/emr/report/index.htm

For more information, please visit the Resources Committee at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/

posted 08-09- 08:39 AM            

BP Considers Ways to Keep Part Of Its Prudhoe Bay Oil Field Open

WASHINGTON -- BP PLC officials and the Energy Department hope BP may not have to shut down all of the Prudhoe Bay oil field.

BP said it was studying with federal/Alaska officials whether it could keep part of the field open while replacing corroded pipes.