Face to Face
John Barrett
Strategic Reconfiguration Program Manager

John Barrett’s pipeline career began the same day oil started flowing down the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) – June 20, 1977. While working in Independence, Kansas, for ARCO Pipe Line Company, he learned about TAPS through co-workers as they began returning from Alaska. Over the years he heard many stories about TAPS and the wonder of its unique design, construction and testing challenges. His interest in Alaska grew along with his desire to experience that same type of challenge.

Little did he know that 26 years later, after designing, building and operating pipelines in other areas, he’d be managing a project to upgrade the very system in Alaska he’d heard so much about.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge with this project?

“Alignment will be our greatest challenge. People are skeptical about changing TAPS; and they should be. The pipeline has an outstanding operations record and the last thing we want to do is reduce that quality in any way. I encourage people to challenge the design and question the plan. This will help ensure we get it right.

“Most people realize that TAPS is 26 years old and upgrades are necessary. We need to be able to adjust for changing conditions and take advantage of technological improvements. The changes we’re considering will make the system more efficient and will improve safety and environmental performance.

Reliability, which has always been good, will be maintained, but with much less effort. Strategic reconfiguration will use new, improved, and proven technology to upgrade TAPS so it can be operated more efficiently for the next 30 years.”

Q: What will ensure strategic reconfiguration’s success?

A: “People. We have excellent people working on this project who have work experience from all over the world. We also have a public process that takes all stakeholders into account.

“TAPS employees are pipeline experts who understand our system and are the best people to evaluate what ideas will or will not work. Our engineering contractors have proven expertise and experience with the type of modifications necessary to incorporate these changes and are making significant progress on preliminary design. Our regulators and other external stakeholders provide important checks and balances. We’re working closely with them to identify and address concerns early in the process.

“In a project of this size, people make all of the difference. We have the right team in place to ensure it will succeed.”