Trans-Alaska pipeline re-started after routine maintenance

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. said that the trans-Alaska pipeline was successfully restarted July 28 at approximately 1 p.m. after a planned maintenance shutdown which began July 27 at 7 a.m.

Alyeska said one of the primary projects undertaken during the shutdown was the replacement of remote gate valve 39 near Coldfoot some 280 miles north of Fairbanks. More than 70 other maintenance tasks were also completed along the pipeline, at the pump stations and at the Valdez Marine Terminal.

Alyeska said that while the shutdown work was completed with no injuries or spills, there was a slight delay in the restart of the line when there was a discrepancy between visual inspection and remote indications of the status of two remote gate valves. Upon further inspection, the company said, it was determined that the readings in the operations control center at the Valdez Marine Terminal were correct and the pipeline was restarted.

Alyeska said that oil flow into pump station 1 was approximately 30 percent of typical flow rate throughout the shutdown. The pipeline was scheduled to be restarted at 10 a.m. July 28; no disruption in North Slope crude oil deliveries were anticipated as a result of the shutdown.