ANCHORAGE, AK - March 28, 2001 - Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System(SERVS) teamed up with the Norwegian Clean Seas Organization (NOFO) in a joint venture for the development of a Fast Water Ocean Class Oil Spill Containment and Recovery System. An agreement between Alyeska, NOFO and NOFI, a leading containment boom manufacturer located in Tromsoe, Norway has been reached for the design and construction of this innovative new system. The joint development project for the NOFI "Ocean Buster," is expected to be complete by January 2002.

NOFI designed and constructed a smaller version called a "Current Buster" for coastal operations in 1996 and partnered with Alyeska (SERVS) for the purchase of the first prototype and subsequent testing in Alaskan waters and other United States test locations. In the summer of 1999, the "Current Buster" was tested at the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center’s OHMSETT Facility located at Earl, N J. During the week long testing at the OHMSETT Facility, the "Current Buster produced efficiency rating’s upwards to 90% and at towing speeds of 2.5 knots.

Subsequent field deployments in Alaskan and Canadian waters have proven similar efficiency ratings with towing and current speeds up to 4.5 knots. Alyeska/ SERVS currently has five systems in their inventory, which are deployed on a regular basis in Alaskan waters during spill response drills/training/exercises.

Alaskans and Norwegians have long had a common interest in improving offshore, oil spill response capabilities. Alyeska/SERVS and NOFO have a tremendous level of confidence that the NOFI "Current Buster" and the NOFI "Ocean Buster" will greatly advance the technology and efficiency of oil spill response operations world wide and will add an entirely new approach to the capabilities of mechanical oil spill response.

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