Valdez Loading Berth Update

This is a status report of berth operations at the Valdez Marine Terminal. There are a number of different projects underway to deal with issues at the berths. For the past several months, while some of this work has been underway, tanker loading has been handled almost exclusively out of Berth 5 without significant impact on tanker schedules. Alyeska expects that there will continue to be no significant impacts while these repairs are completed.

Berth 1 - This berth is fully operational for crude oil loading and deballasting.  However, there is a tanker size limit of 125,000 DWT.  Around half of the present tanker fleet can be accommodated at Berth 1.

Berth 3 -This berth will be available only for crude oil loading upon return of the sump to service.  This is expected by the end of the month.  This berth was taken out of service for routine maintenance in July.  Inspection of the ballast water piping revealed serious corrosion in the berth sump, ballast piping liner failure in some areas and a one inch diameter penetration of the pipe wall. Subsequently, the United States Coast Guard suspended the berth’s certificate of adequacy relating to ballast water transfers.  No deballasting will take place until the Berth 3 ballast line is repaired.  Work is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving at which time the berth will return to full operation.  This schedule contains some uncertainty because 1500’ of ballast water pipe has yet to be inspected.    

Berth 4 - This berth is available for deballasting, and the plan is that it will be available for crude oil loading at maximum capacity by the end of the year assuming successful modification of the valves and actuator.  The berth was taken out of service in August for major maintenance designed to create a ten-year maintenance lifecycle on critical mechanical, piping and electrical systems.  During initial re-start of the berth in September, serious cavitation was experienced in the vicinity of the 16” Flow Control Valves and at the base of the crude oil loading arms. Efforts are underway to resolve this.

Berth 5 - This berth is fully operational for crude oil loading and deballasting.   Removal of Berth 5 from service to conduct an inspection of the ballast piping system and the two vapor recovery arms will not occur this year.  Given the current status of Berth 4, the ballast piping inspection at Berth 5 will be conducted as originally planned during the shutdown in the summer of 2001. Inspection of the Berth 5 vapor arms will proceed as soon as practically possible after the return of Berth 4 to normal operations.  Winter weather impacts could delay the inspection until February 2001 or beyond.

The S/R North Slope departed the Valdez Marine Terminal Wednesday morning with an enhanced escort that included the Valdez Star trailing the vessel through the Port of Valdez.

On October 23, the S/R North Slope was in the process of being de-boomed and made ready for departure when a sheen within the boom was observed by a crew member.  The tanker was immediately reboomed.  Subsequent investigation by divers revealed a hairline fracture measuring 8 – 10 inches in length at the turn of the bilge of the #5 starboard cargo tank.   The United States Coast Guard ordered the tank emptied of cargo to stop the release of oil.  A Permit to Proceed was issued by the Coast Guard after the vessel met all conditions established by the Coast Guard and the American Bureau of Shipping that were necessary to sail.

Alyeska response personnel and equipment responded with skimmers and sorbent sweeps and remained on the scene throughout.  All sheen was contained within the boom.

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