Corrosion Detection Pig to Arrive in Valdez

Alyeska’s state of the art corrosion detection pig will complete its annual 800-mile journey tomorrow at approximately 6:00 a.m. The pig was launched from Pump Station 1 on April 18.

The pig, developed by Japanese conglomerate NKK in conjunction with Alyeska, moves through the pipeline with the flow of the oil and uses ultrasonic waves to find changes in pipe wall thickness. The pig emits sounds waves which are reflected off the inner and outer pipeline walls back to the pig. The length of time it takes for the signals to return to the pig helps engineers determine the thickness of the pipe wall. The NKK pig has been successful in locating external corrosion in the past. Internal corrosion has not been an issue on the mainline pipe.

The NKK pig is the only one of its kind in the world. NKK first built the ultrasonic corrosion detection pig in 1988.

Data analysis from the pig run will take approximately five months.

Alyeska Pipeline encourages all business and individuals to become involved in the second annual “Nobody Gets Hurt” Week, May 18-24. Each day of the week will have a specific focus: Recreational Safety; Fire Safety; Slips, Trips and Falls; Disaster Preparedness; and Vehicle Safety

At the encouragement of Alyeska and the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) Alliance Safety and Health Steering Committee, Governor Knowles proclaimed this special week in an effort to reduce unintentional injury and deaths in the State of Alaska.

Alaska’s occupational fatality rate is five times the national average, and its accidental death rate is consistently the highest of any state in the nation

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