Pipeline shutdown for routine maintenance

Work crews completed two major projects during a scheduled maintenance shutdown on August 16-17 on opposite sides of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS). The event lasted approximately 35 hours with over 350 TAPS employees working at various locations completing nearly 40 additional work tasks.

One of the major projects included installation of roughly 1,700 feet of new 48-inch mainline pipe at Pump Station 2, located some 60 miles south of Prudhoe Bay. The new piping, pictured at right, allows the pipeline to completely bypass Pump Station 2 which has not been an active pump station since 1997.

At the terminus of the 800-mile pipeline, crews replaced a 36” valve at the Valdez Marine Terminal. The replacement valve is on a piece of equipment called a pig trap receiver, a pipe section used to receive cleaning and instrument pigs. A pig is a mechanical device used for routine cleaning or diagnostics on the pipeline.

“We planned to complete all of the work within 36 hours and were able to meet that goal,” said Mike Joynor, SR Vice President Pipeline and Oil Movements. “Crews work months in advance outlining the work and credit really goes to all involved for safely executing the tasks along the pipeline and terminal.”

During the summer’s first shutdown, from June 28-29, Alyeska and its contractors safely and successfully completed multiple jobs along the pipeline, including two significant projects. At Pump Station 9, crews disconnected piping used to operate the original pumping equipment. Pump Station 9 began operating newer, upgraded pumps in February 2007. Just outside of Fairbanks, a team replaced Remote Gate Valve 72 on the mainline pipe. Remote Gate Valve 72 is one of 177 48-inch mainline valves along the pipeline.