2001 Congressman John Dingell Letters to BP re: Problems
on the North Slope
September 5, 2001
Congressman John Dingell Letter to Mr. Robert Malone, British Petroleum, regarding the North Slope Operations ( Found below )
August 29, 2001
BP letter to Congressman Dingell, regarding the ORT report commissioned by BP to determine what safety, operational, and other issues may exist regarding North Slope oil operations, (Found below )
ORT ( Operations Review Team) Report (Found below )
ORTFinalReport.pdf
August 27, 2001
BP letter to Congressman Dingell, forwarding the recent report on
Surface Safety Valves
Letter and Report Not Yet Available
June 14, 2001
BP response regarding the allegations recently forwarded to me regarding a
number of issues relating to BP’s north slope operations. (Found below )
May 14, 2001
Congressman John Dingell letter to Mr. Robert Malone, Regional President Western U.S., British Petroleum, regarding the investigation of the safety of BP's north slope operations
(Found below )
The Congressman John Dingell letters comes from:
http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/107prchrono.shtml#Letters
The Public Record for the 107th Congress
This is a list of all public information released by the Committee on Energy and Commerce Democrats during the 107th Congress. The information is listed by date.
If you require information that was available on this website for a previous Congress, please see our archives page.
September 5, 2001
Congressman John Dingell letter to Mr. Robert Malone, British Petroleum, regarding the North Slope Operations
Found below and at:
http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/107ltr79.shtml
September 5, 2001
Mr. Robert Malone
Regional President Western U.S.
British Petroleum
Office - PAC-2015
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, California 90071
Dear Mr. Malone:
Thank you for your letter of August 29, 2001, regarding the report commissioned by BP to determine what safety, operational, and other issues may exist regarding North Slope oil operations, as well as for your letter of August 27, 2001, forwarding the recent report on Surface Safety Valves. As you know, information has been reported to me and committee minority staff regarding a range of issues requiring the attention of BP and other North Slope operators. The special review team that BP has assembled represents a good first step in responding to the concerns that have been forwarded to me and to state and federal regulators.
You report that this team has already interviewed 250 employees. I understand that a number of issues requiring attention have become known. I look forward to receiving the report detailing these findings, as well as any lessons learned and key recommendations, resulting from this review. Of course, addressing the employee concerns that have been raised in this process will take time. We will continue to work with you to ensure that any major safety issues are expeditiously reviewed and resolved.
Thank you again for your efforts to respond to the concerns raised about North Slope oil operations. If you have any questions on this matter, please contact me directly, or contact Chris Knauer of the Committee Minority staff at 202-226-3400.
Sincerely,
JOHN D. DINGELL
RANKING MEMBER
cc: The Honorable W.J. "Billy" Tauzin
Prepared by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
2322 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
August 29, 2001,
BP letter to Congressman Dingell regarding the ORT Report commissioned by BP to determine what safety, operational, and other issues
may exist regarding North Slope oil operations,
Letter Not Yet Available
ORT Report
August 27, 2001,
BP letter to Congressman Dingell forwarding the recent report on Surface Safety Valves
Letter Not Yet Available
Surface Safety Valves Report
Report Not Yet Available
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
June 19,2001
John Dingell letter to Mr. Robert Malone, Regional President Western U.S., British Petroleum, regarding the investigation of the safety of BP's north slope operations
Found below and at:
http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/107ltr62.shtml
Text only of letters sent from the Committee on Energy and Commerce Democrats.
June 19, 2001
Mr. Robert Malone
Regional President Western U.S.
British Petroleum
Office - PAC-2015
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, California 90071
Dear Mr. Malone:
I am in receipt of your June 14, 2001, response regarding the allegations recently forwarded to me regarding a number of issues relating to BP’s north slope operations. These allegations primarily concerned surface-well safety systems in the Western Operating Area of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, including (1) surface safety valves (SSVs) attached to the surface wellheads, (2) pressure pilots, and (3) the hydraulic control systems which respond to shutdown signals from pressure pilots or from remote locations. I appreciate your detailed responses to each of those questions.
As you are aware, recent press reports and ongoing discussions between your staff and Committee minority staff have raised several issues relating to the SSVs, and whether they have been properly maintained or are failing at abnormally high rates as a result of poor maintenance and/or other factors. While your letter provided me with specific information regarding the specific allegations forwarded to me, it remains unclear what the overall conditions of the SSVs are in the Western Operating Area, or why allegations continue to be sent to Congress concerning these safety-critical components. I therefore ask you to address the attached questions regarding the testing and trending of all data related to the SSVs, and the implications of any findings resulting from such analysis. Also, please identify for me the person responsible for your response. (The attachment to your June 14, 2001, letter was unsigned.)
As always, I appreciate your assistance in this matter, and look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure the continued safety of all North-Slope petroleum delivery operations. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly, or continue working with Christopher Knauer, Committee on Energy and Commerce Minority staff, at 202-226-3400.
Sincerely,
JOHN D. DINGELL
RANKING MEMBER
Attachment
cc: The Honorable W. J. "Billy" Tauzin, Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Attachment:
QUESTIONS FOR MR. ROBERT MALONE
1. BP and its affiliate operators apparently collect (on a continuing basis) data related to all aspects of the SSVs, including unexpected failure rates and other testing results. Presumably BP and others have analyzed this data. What specific trends have been identified as a result of analyzing this data? Please provide this information for both summer and winter results. Have any trends been identified that are significant from an operational, maintenance, or managerial point of view? If so, what are they? If this data has not been analyzed or trended on a regular basis, please explain why this has not been undertaken. Also, what are the potential operational implications, if any, of failing to analyze such data on a regular basis?
2. Have specific recommendations been made to senior management as a result of any identified trend(s)? If so, what are they?
3. Have specific reports been made to internal management or to all relevant State regulators as a result of such analysis? If so, please provide a description of each of those reports and to whom they were sent.
4. What operational implications, if any, has BP raised regarding all aspects of testing the SSVs in the Western Operating Area? Does BP believe these valves have been adequately maintained over the past five years? Does the testing data support that claim?
Prepared by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
2322 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
May 14, 2001
Congressman John Dingell letter to Mr. Robert Malone, Regional President Western U.S., British Petroleum, regarding the investigation of the safety of BP's north slope operations
Found below and at:
http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/107ltr56.shtml
May 14, 2001
Mr. Robert
Malone
Regional President Western U.S.
British Petroleum
Office - PAC-2015
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, California 90071
Dear Mr. Malone:
As you know, during my tenure in the 1980's and early 1990's as chairman of this Committee, members and staff investigated a number of serious allegations related to the Trans Alaskan Pipeline. Those investigations and followup hearings found a number of serious shortcomings. Many corrective actions were taken by the owner companies (particularly under your leadership) as well as by state and federal regulators.
Recently, new allegations -- this time relating to BP’s Prudhoe Bay operations -- have been reported to me, and have also been disclosed by certain publications such as the Wall Street Journal. I appreciate your responsiveness in working closely with Committee staff to explain these matters. I have now received a letter setting forth several specific questions and concerns related to BP’s North Slope operations. I ask you to review and respond to this enclosed letter.
We have not independently verified either the accuracy or the significance of these claims. Moreover, it is also difficult to independently assess whether existing regulatory agencies -- as alluded to in these allegations -- have the resources, the capability, or the will to ensure that all North Slope systems are operating safely, and are being adequately maintained.
I look forward to hearing from you on these matters. If you have any questions, you know you can contact me directly, or continue working with Christopher Knauer, Minority Professional Staff Member, at 202-226-3400.
Sincerely,
JOHN D. DINGELL
RANKING MEMBER
http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/letter.pdf
cc: The
Honorable W. J. "Billy" Tauzin, Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Honorable
Gale A. Norton, Secretary
Department of the Interior
Prepared by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce
2322 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515