BP has problems in Alaska, report finds

BP has an aggressive pipeline inspection system in Alaska, an official said after internal reports revealed parts of the network are close to failure.
ProPublica, a non-profit news agency, said it obtained a copy of BP's internal maintenance reports that found 148 pipelines in the energy-rich North Slope are more than 80 percent corroded. BP, the agency said, didn't explain what portion of the network the 148 pipelines represented.
Steven Rinehart, a spokesman for BP Alaska, told ProPublica that his company had an aggressive maintenance policy in Alaska.
"We will not operate equipment or facilities that we believe are unsafe," he was quoted as saying.
BP oil workers who spoke to ProPublica on the record said oil and waste storage facilities were approaching failure, early warning systems were spotty and much of the infrastructure was outdated.
BP shut down transmission lines in Alaska, cutting off around 8 percent of the U.S. oil supply, in 2006 because of two spills from corroded pipelines.
The company, however, has significantly expanded its spending program to address maintenance and equipment upgrades on the North Slope.
BP officials who spoke with ProPublica on condition of anonymity said it could take as long as 20 years to replace some of the Alaskan network at current investment levels.