GULF ASSESSES POSSIBLE BEAUFORT SEA SPILL

An oil blowout in the Canadian Beaufort Sea could, under the worst circumstances, cause a spill that would far outrank the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill off Alaska, says Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. Gulf's worst case analysis shows that an uncontrolled well in the Beaufort Sea could spew 40,000 b/d for at least 60 days while a relief well was being drilled. But bridging of the hole likely would stop the oil flow within a few hours. At worst, a Canadian Beaufort well blowout could spill 2.4

April 23, 1990

2 min read

An oil blowout in the Canadian Beaufort Sea could, under the worst circumstances, cause a spill that would far outrank the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill off Alaska, says Gulf Canada Resources Ltd.

Gulf's worst case analysis shows that an uncontrolled well in the Beaufort Sea could spew 40,000 b/d for at least 60 days while a relief well was being drilled. But bridging of the hole likely would stop the oil flow within a few hours.

At worst, a Canadian Beaufort well blowout could spill 2.4 million bbl, compared with the Exxon Valdez volume estimated variously at 258,000-262,000 bbl.

A Gulf spokesman said the company was required to submit the worst case scenario to Canadian regulatory authorities but the probability of it happening is very low.

The scenario was included in material submitted by Gulf to the Environmental Impact Review Board, a joint government/native body that deals with projects in the Beaufort Sea/Mackenzie Delta region. The panel will begin hearings in June on a 3 year plan for drilling in the eastern Arctic submitted by Gulf and partners.

The companies still must submit a plan for dealing with a spill if one occurs.

The federal Oil and Gas Lands Administration says it will not allow a company to drill unless it can afford the cost of cleaning up a spill. But a spokesman said it is hard to come up with a figure for cleanup costs.