Pump Stations

Basic information

Number of stations in original design — 12

Number of stations operating as of June 2004 — 6: Pump Stations 1, 3, 4, 7and 9;

PS 5 is a relief station, PS 11 is a security site.
PS 8 was placed in standby June 30, 1996.
PS 10 was placed in standby July 1, 1996.
PS 2 was placed in standby July 1, 1997.
PS 6 was placed in standby August 8, 1997.
PS 12 was placed in standby July of 2002

There were 8 stations operating at start up (PS 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12). PS 8 pump building was destroyed by an explosion and fire July 8, 1977, during the start up process; the station was recommissioned Mar. 7, 1978. PS 2 was commissioned Oct. 2, 1979; PS 7 was commissioned Dec. 1, 1980.

Number of stations at maximum throughput — 11

Crew size

Varies per station, 10-25 Alyeska employees

Crew shifts

1 week on/1 week off, or 2 weeks on/2 weeks off depending on station; 12 hour work day.

Crude oil holding capacity 

• PS 1 — 420,000 bbl.
• PS 5 — 150,000 bbl.
• All others — 55,000 bbl.

Fire systems, types

Halon, water and foam, dry chemical, wet chemical, carbon dioxide.

Fire trucks

1 per station

Pump stations associated with airports have additional designated airfield fire fighting trucks.

Fire Response Team

Pump station personnel.

Fire training 

Annual live fire training and monthly fire response training; airfield rescue fire training provided at stations associated with airports.

Fire training facilities

Each station has fire extinguisher training props.

Fuel requirements, per station, avg. (fuel oil equivalent)

30,000 to 60,000 gallons per day total (see all operations fuel requirements under Pipeline Operations)

Permanent living quarters, where provided

At 9 stations: PS 1, 2*, 3, 4, 5, 6*, 7, 10* and 12. Personnel at PS 8 and 9 live in nearby communities.

* Removed from service when pump station placed in standby.

Power

Size of power plants — ranges from 1.3 megawatts at PS 12 to 4.7 megawatts at PS 6, depending on availability of commercial power, presence of topping unit and/or vapor recovery system.

Stations generating electrical power — All stations.

Stations also purchasing commercial power — PS 8, 9 and 12.

Pipeline Mileages from/ to Prudhoe Bay/ Fairbanks/ Valdez, and elevations of pump stations

Pumps

Number — @ .999 million bbl./day, 2 operating at PS 1, 3 & 9. PS 4, 7 & 12 have 1 unit operating. PS 5 is a relief station.

Definition —

• Full head pump - a two stage pump with both impellers in series. It has one inlet and one outlet.
• Half head pump - a two stage pump with both impellers in parallel. It has two inlets and two outlets. It can handle twice the flow of the full head but only produces half the (head) pressure rise.

Capacity of mainline pumps —

• Half head configuration - 60,000 gpm each
• Full head configuration - 20,000 gpm each

Pumps, configuration

• Half head configuration - PS 2 and 7
• Full head configuration - all other pump stations
• PS 12 is configured to operate wit heither 2 full head or 1 half head pump.

Booster pumps — All pump stations have booster pumps to move oil from the storage tanks to the mainline. (PS 1 has three mainline booster pumps to boost oil pressure.) PS 5 also has injection pumps

Refrigerated foundations, stations with 5:

PS 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.

Topping unit, definition

Mini-refinery that produces turbine fuel.

Topping units

All topping units are in standby.

Locations — PS 6, 8 and 10. Topping units at PS 8 and PS 10 in standby in 1996.  Topping units at PS 6 placed in standby in June 1997.

Production capacity —

• 2,400 avg. bbl./day of low sulphur turbine fuel.

Turbines

Fuel requirements —

• Gas fired units — 4.3 mcf/unit/day avg.
• Liquid fired units —
  
  • 30,000 gal./unit/day avg. (half head configuration)
  • 24,000 gal./unit/day avg. (full head configuration)

Power ratings — (sea level, 59° F)

Avon gas generator — 24,600 exhaust gas horsepower.

Reaction turbine —

• 18,700 brake horsepower (half head configuration)
  
• 15,300 brake horsepower (full head configuration)

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