Waste Management at Prudhoe Bay

Problem solving: a plume of dense, black smoke rises from a location in the industrial complex. Oil fields by their nature are messy and unpredictable. Often, the fastest way to get rid of a mess is to burn it.

The oil fields at Prudhoe Bay produce massive amounts of waste. Millions of gallons of oily waste, sludge, toxic liquids and brine are dumped in open pits, injected into the permafrost, or as this photograph illustrates, pumped into the air.

In February 2000, BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., one of the two major partners at Prudhoe Bay, was fined $15.5 million in criminal court and ordered to create a new environmental management program, and to serve 5-years probation for failure to report illegal dumping of hazardous wastes down oil wells. BP also paid $6.5 million in civil penalties. Its contractor pled guilty to 15 counts of violating the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and paid a $3 million fine. Over a period of three years, the drilling company had dumped wastes containing benzene and other toxic substances down well shafts. The activity came to light only after a whistleblower stepped forward.

At least BP didn't have to contend with airing its dirty laundry in Congress. Although two of Alaska's Congressional delegation held powerful committee chairmanships (Senate Energy and House Resources), Senator Frank Murkowski and Representative Don Young avoided holding oversight hearings on the oil industry's environmental crimes. It's safe to assume that large campaign donations effectively neutered both men's duty to assure compliance with pollution control laws. Such loyalty inspires confidence, doesn't it?