Oil Spill in Alaska Goes Undetected for Days

An oil spill in Alaska's North Slope reportedly went undetected for days and was only discovered after an oilfield worker smelled the petroleum.

The crude oil leaked from a corrosion hole in the pipeline approximately one-quarter inch in diameter for at least five days. The pipelines leak-detection system did not report the spill.

BP Exploration Alaska, a subsidiary of BP has been recently criticized by industry watchdogs for cutting maintenance operations. It is believed in excess of 200,000 gallons of crude oil leaked from the 34-inch diameter pipeline, making it the largest spill ever in the North Slope. The spill was contained to approximately a two-acre area.

At this point, about 50,000 gallons of crude has been recovered. However, harsh cold has hampered the recovery effort. Last night temperatures dipped to 70 degrees below zero.