ConocoPhillips resumes limited flights for employees from Anchorage to North Slope

ConocoPhillips has resumed limited flights to North Slope oilfields, company spokesperson Natalie Lowman said Friday.

The company had suspended flights March 19 from Anchorage to the Kuparuk River and Alpine fields, where it is the operator, asking its employees to work an extra shift on the slope. Limited flights resumed March 23, Lowman said.

The company also said it has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its field employees as of April 1.

A BP worker at the Prudhoe Bay oilfield has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and is in quarantine on the North Slope, state Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum said. BP is the operator at Prudhoe Bay.

North Slope field workers live in Anchorage or in Lower 48 states and rotate to jobs on the slope typically on two-week schedules.

The BP worker, who was not identified, was an Alaska resident who returned to his job at Prudhoe Bay before state officials ordered a 14-day quarantine on travelers returning from the Lower 48.

Dr. Anne Zink, the state’s chief medical officer, said symptoms appeared within two days of the BP worker’s arrival back at Prudhoe Bau. BP has a COVID-19 plan in place and was able to conduct the required tests, she said.

BP has continued its crew rotation flights from Anchorage but is screening workers for symptoms as they board flights for the slope. ConocoPhillips is taking similar steps.

“ConocoPhillips will continue to maintain our health checks (including checking temperatures) for any personnel traveling to North Slope operations. Anchorage-based employees have been encouraged to work from home,” ConocoPhillips said in a COVID-19 advisory.

Support local journalism. By subscribing you help local journalism continue to thrive. For our latest digital subscription information, see frontiersman.com/site/forms/subscription_services/