BP allegedly fails to report spills at Prudhoe Bay

The spills of drilling fluids allegedly occured at British Petroleum's Prudhoe Bay operation, about 100 miles west of ANWR, on Dec. 3, 2004, and July 31, 2003. State law requires oil companies to report any spills over 55 gallons. These did, and they were not reported.

BP officials said they didn't report the spills because those involved didn't believe they were required to do so, according to United Press International.

Investigators said the spills didn't pose an environmental hazard. But it's this kind of incident that critics seize on when they question the supposed "clean and modern" operation of arctic oil drilling.