|
Alaska probing BP pipeline management Governor suggests oil company misled the state with favorable maintenance reports. August 9 2006: 10:11 PM EDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) -- Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski suggested Wednesday that BP Plc misled the state with satisfactory maintenance reports and launched an investigation into the oil giant's handling of its pipeline corrosion.
Pipeline corrosion forced BP (Charts) to halt production at its Prudhoe Bay field and the company is studying whether it needs to shut down the entire 400,000 barrels-per-day field, which accounts for 8 percent of U.S. output.
The Republican governor said Alaska's attorney general is looking into possible enforcement actions, including a demand for lost tax revenues while the field is shut down.
After "numerous" satisfactory maintenance reports to the state in the past that oil-field pipeline corrosion was being adequately controlled, BP abruptly decided to shut down all of Prudhoe Bay without consulting the state, Murkowski said.
</snip>
Ooh read the article. The Dems want a more intense investigation with subpoena powers. I bet the Dems started, and the Repub snagged it. From what I hear from my hometown is Murkowski is on his way out.
|