ANCHORAGE, AK -- July 12, 1996. -- Alyeska Pipeline Service Company reported that a planned shutdown of the trans-Alaska pipeline is taking place today so crews can conduct scheduled maintenance work. The pipeline was shut down at 8:00 a.m. and will remain down for approximately 8 hours. The shutdown will allow the removal of the pig launcher at Pump Station 10 and isolation of the pump station valves at Pump Station 8, which are part of Alyeska's ramp down plan. The pig launcher was used to send pipeline cleaning, instrumentation and corrosion inspection pigs through the final pipeline segment, between Pump Station 10 and Valdez. Once the launcher is removed, pigs will be launched from Pump Station 4, north of the Brooks Range, and received in Valdez.