By Steve Quinn
JUNEAU, April 9 (Reuters) - Alaska's lone road to NorthSlope oilfield operations has been shut for days while emergencycrews divert flood waters from an adjacent river and oilcompanies fly provisions to the Arctic region, state and companyofficials said on Thursday.
The road closure, however, has not affected oil productionon the North Slope.
Starting on March 13, the Sagavanirktok River spilled onto a15-mile stretch of the Dalton Highway south of Deadhorse whereoperations for three major oilfields are based. Crews wereworking to fend off highway flooding, state officials said.
Alaska Governor Bill Walker declared a state of emergency onWednesday, opening up state funds for some emergency responsecosts and repair work.
Officials had closed the road on Sunday.
There was no projection for when the highway would reopen,said Meadow Bailey, Department of Transportation and PublicFacilities spokeswoman.
More than a dozen Department of Transportation workersbacked by construction equipment working on the site weregrappling with sub-zero temperatures, blowing snow and highwinds, she said. Private contractors were also en route onThursday.
"Trying to control a river, especially with multiplechannels in the middle of winter, it's a challenge, almostimpossible," Bailey said, adding the stretch of river nowfeatures ice accumulation between three to four feet, plus theflooding.
North Slope operations for fields such as Prudhoe Bay,Kuparuk and Alpine are home to thousands of employees workingaround the clock to produce about half a million barrels ofcrude oil daily.
Dawn Patience, a spokeswoman for BP Plc, said thecompany is prepared for rare disruptions such as these.
"Seasonal transportation interruptions are not unexpectedthis time of year, so we plan for it," Patience said. "Thisincludes a stockpile of regular supplies, conserving resourcesand restricting unnecessary travel to the field."
ConocoPhillips, meanwhile, is using alternate meanssuch as air travel to maintain fuel supplies, spokeswomanNatalie Lowman said. (Reporting by Steve Quinn, editing by G Crosse)