BP installing heater for Endicott oil

The climate on Alaska’s North Slope may be warming, but oil from the region’s declining oil fields is becoming cooler as the oil flow into the trans-Alaska pipeline slows. In the latest manifestation of the oil’s cooling trend BP has had to install a heater to warm oil flowing from the company’s Endicott field.

According to the recently published annual report from Alaska’s State Pipeline Coordinator’s Office, oil from Endicott has not always been able to meet the oil temperature requirements for delivery to the trans-Alaska line. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., the operator of the line, is facing significant challenges associated with cooling oil, as oil throughput south to the tanker terminal in Valdez drops.

Heater modified

The report says that BP has had to modify a heater already used to warm oil coming from the Northstar field, so that the heater will warm both the Northstar and Endicott pipelines. The two oil streams need to be warmed separately before reaching their individual custody transfer meters at the northern end of the trans-Alaska line.

“BP is able to modify the Northstar heater to perform dual duty because oil flow rates in both pipelines are now well below their original levels,” the report says.

BP spokeswoman Dawn Patience has confirmed to Petroleum News that the heater modifications have been completed and that the heating of the Endicott oil came into operation in September.

—Alan Bailey