BP Plc expects to restart on Monday 10,000 barrels per day of Alaskan oil production at its giant Prudhoe Bay oil field, halted June 18 for a pipe leak, a BP spokesman said.

BP shut part of the 400,000 bpd field after workers discovered a small leak in a 24-inch diameter flow line, said BP Alaska spokesman Daren Beaudo.

The leak spilled less than a gallon of crude oil onto a gravel pad. No oil was spilled on the tundra, Beaudo said.

Flow lines carry a mixture of crude oil, water and natural gas from wells to one of six separation plants at Prudhoe Bay.

BP is currently replacing an 80-foot (24 meter) section of the flow line. Repairs are expected to be completed by Monday.

Output at the 400,000 bpd field is already below normal due to routine maintenance at some installations.

BP's operations in Alaska have been under intense scrutiny since early 2006 when a corroded pipeline ruptured, spilling at least 200,000 gallons of crude oil onto the tundra.

A federal grand jury was convened last year to consider pressing charges against BP for the spill. To date, no charges have been filed.

At a hearing in May, congressional Democrats accused BP of deliberately underspending on maintenance and corrosion prevention at Prudhoe Bay to boost profits, a charge rejected by BP executives.

The company is currently replacing miles of pipelines at the field and has committed to improving its corrosion monitoring and prevention techniques.

Oil majors ConocoPhillips Inc. and ExxonMobil Corp. are the other main shareholders in Prudhoe Bay.

Crude oil BP plc