BP is to continue production at part of its Prudhoe Bay oilfield in Alaska, reversing an earlier decision to shut it down because of corrosion in pipes.

The British oil group said late on Friday it would keep pumping oil from the western side of Prudhoe Bay, a giant field that supplies about 8% of America’s needs. It will also increase production from the western side from 150,000 barrels a day to 200,000.

BP began shutting down Prudhoe Bay last Sunday after a 200-gallon oil leak led to the discovery of corrosion in 16 miles of pipework. US regulators said on Thursday they would be prepared to allow the company to continue operations on the western half of the field.

The decision may help ease some of the pressure on BP in America, where it is under fire for a fatal accident in a Texan refinery, an earlier, much larger, spill in Alaska, and allegations that it rigged the market in home-heating gas.

Last week the company faced a storm of protest over the events at Prudhoe Bay. Joe Barton, chairman of the congressional energy committee, wrote to Lord Browne, BP’s chief executive, saying: “This latest incident once again calls into question BP’s commitment to safety, reliability and the responsible stewardship of Amerca’s energy resources.”