President's Message
Kevin Hostler, President and CEO

Valve Replacement Near Glennallen

In July, during our regularly scheduled maintenance shutdown, we will work on a variety of projects along the 800-mile-long pipeline, including installing a check valve on the mainline at Pump Station 10, replacing a second check valve near Glennallen and a host of other repairs.

The valve replacement is the primary focus of the long-planned shutdown. This is not a small undertaking. Valve replacements require a tremendous amount of pre-planning and coordination between hundreds of employees that culminates in an impressive display of teamwork. Every detail of the operation must be scripted by the minute.

In October 2005, we discovered that CV 109 did not meet internal performance standards. Since then, Alyeska engineers have been closely monitoring this mainline valve. On two subsequent occasions, testing revealed that the valve’s sealing did not meet our valve performance criteria. A risk assessment determined that the valve—located in an environmentally sensitive area south of Glennallen—should be replaced.

Mainline valves divide the pipeline into smaller segments, effectively limiting oil spill potential. The valve allows oil to flow south toward Valdez, while at the same time, preventing it from flowing in the opposite direction toward Prudhoe Bay. If oil in the pipeline attempts to reverse direction, a device immediately swings shut, stopping the reverse flow of oil. We tested the performance of all of TAPS’ mainline valves over several years in the late-90s. Beginning last summer with CV 109 and continuing over the next several years, we’ll test valves placed on an internal watch list.

Alyeska is also hosting community meetings in Glennallen to discuss this upcoming valve replacement project with community residents and leaders. We will explain our commitment to maintaining the integrity of the pipeline system, and discuss our plans to continue closely monitoring the new valve’s performance. Next month’s edition of Alyeska Monthly will provide more information on our findings and valve replacement work.