President's Message
David Wight, President and CEO

Alyeska moving forward on Strategic Reconfiguration project

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is making great progress on its pipeline modernization project, called Strategic Reconfiguration.

Our workers successfully installed new pump tie-ins at Pump Stations 1 and 3 during the Aug. 16-17 pipeline shutdown. Next year we will install similar tie-ins at Pump Stations 4 and 9, and then replace all four stations' turbine driven pumps with electrically powered pumps.

I am extremely proud of the progress Alyeska employees and contractors are making on this project while causing minimal impact to TAPS operations. Despite the long hours during the shutdown, Alyeska employees and contractors alike stayed focused, resolved unexpected situations, paid attention to detail and kept system integrity and safety at the forefront of their individual or collective missions.

Our goal is to update and standardize Pump Stations 1, 3, 4, 5 and 9 with proven, state-of-the-art equipment and control systems. We will install modular pump units that enable us to adjust TAPS pumping capacity to match changes in North Slope oil production by adding or removing pump modules. We are also standardizing pump station equipment and procedures and automating some processes to increase operating efficiency. Pump Station 5 functions as a pressure relief station on the lower side of Atigun Pass and therefore won' t receive pump modules.

When we are done, Strategic Reconfiguration will shave millions of dollars from the annual cost of moving oil from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez.

Our workers still face many challenges as we modernize the pipeline. However, I am confident that they will succeed in extending TAPS’ economic life while maintaining the highest safety, integrity and environmental standards.