State hires Emerald/ABS for assessment

The state has hired Emerald/ABS to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of oil and gas infrastructure across Alaska, the Department of Environmental Conservation announced on June 24.

Emerald/ABS is a joint venture between Doyon Emerald, an 8(a) company, and the international firm ABS Consulting.

Gov. Sarah Palin announced the $4.1 million risk assessment in May 2007 in response to high-profile oil spills on the North Slope caused by corroding pipelines.

The three-year risk assessment is the first of its kind in the state. Because of the lack of precedent Emerald/ABS will have to create its own design for the project.

The program will cover not only infrastructure on the North Slope, but facilities in Valdez and the Cook Inlet as well. Some of that infrastructure is more than 40 years old. The risk assessment will require significant cooperation both among state agencies and between the state and the oil industry.

The state has created an advisory team bringing together people from state and federal departments and agencies.

—Eric Lidji