Pipeline 101

Valves on TAPS

The 800 mile-long Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) has 178 valves that control oil flow through the 48-inch mainline pipe. Most of these valves are environmental safeguards that ensure safe operation and limit the potential size of spills, especially at stream crossings and other environmentally sensitive areas. In addition to the mainline valves, each pump station and the Valdez Marine Terminal have hundreds of valves. TAPS includes 62 remote gate valves (RGVs) between Pump Station 3 and Valdez. These valves are designed to close in the event of an emergency, thereby limiting the size of a potential spill at any point along the pipeline.