BP 'facing criminal probe into oil spill'

British Petroleum was today said to be facing a criminal investigation into a massive oil spill in Alaska, in which 270,000 gallons of crude leaked into Prudhoe Bay.

The Financial Times said BP received a subpoena in April from a federal grand jury in Alaska, which ordered the company to hand over documents relating to the leak.

The spill in March – thought to have come from a corroded pipe – was the largest ever in Alaska’s North Slope region and was described by environmentalists as a “catastrophe”.

If the investigation goes against BP it could face prosecution and ultimately prison terms and significant fines.

BP Alaska, which operates the pipeline, has reportedly denied claims it failed to maintain it properly.