Congressmen cite ’significant’ events in BP’s Alaska operations before Gulf of Mexico spill

Congressmen cite ’significant’ BP issues in Alaska

JUNEAU, Alaska — A letter shows two congressmen raised concerns about BP PLC’s operations on Alaska’s North Slope months before an oil rig the company was operating exploded and spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Reps. Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak cited at least four “significant” incidents in Alaska in 2008 and 2009, including a pressure valve problem they said could have caused an explosion.

In a January letter to the president of BP Exploration Alaska, the congressmen also worried that proposed BP budget cuts could threaten the company’s ability to maintain safe operations.

A spokesman for BP Alaska refused to address each incident and said the events described in the letter were reported to the appropriate regulatory agencies.

The letter was reported Wednesday by the website ProPublica.