Prudhoe oilfield likely to keep pumping

NEW YORK - American pipeline inspectors have not yet found evidence of further corrosion on the pipelines of the western half of BP's giant Prudhoe Bay oilfield in Alaska, the United States Government's top regulator says.

The news is raising hopes the field will be allowed to remain in partial operation, thus relieving pressure on the global oil price.

BP workers are scrambling to complete a corrosion survey of the oil transit pipelines at the 400,000 barrel-per-day field. Repairs are expected to cost about US$100 million ($160 million).

"So far I have not seen any data which would require us to take action that would require us to shut [the western oil transit lines] down," said Thomas Barrett, the head of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Prudhoe Bay is the biggest oilfield in North America.

- REUTERS