BP ORDERS FOURTH “ALASKA CLASS” TANKER

BP ORDERS FOURTH “ALASKA CLASS” TANKER

BP ORDERS FOURTH “ALASKA CLASS” TANKER

   BP has ordered its fourth double-hulled “Alaska class” tanker from National Steel and Shipbuilding Co.

   BP will use the tankers to deliver Alaska North Slope crude oil to refineries on the U.S. West Coast, including its own refineries at Los Angeles and Cherry Point, Wash.

   Construction of the 1.3-million-barrel-capacity tankers will begin early next year. NASSCO in San Diego, Calif., is scheduled to deliver the first ship in late 2003, with subsequent ships to be delivered in 2004, 2005 and 2006. BP will complete the conversion of its Alaska fleet to double hulls by 2006.

   The ships will be operated by Alaska Tanker Co., based in Portland, Ore., which was formed in 1999. The company operates BP chartered tankers in the Alaska North Slope trade.

   BP operates 12 Alaska oil fields with gross production of about 800,000 barrels of oil per day. BP is the considered a leading gasoline retailer in five western states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada, under the name of ARCO.