By Tim Bradner
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. is in the final check-out phase of a startup of Pump Station 9 on the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, one of four stations being rebuilt by Alyeska in a major upgrade program.

Company spokesman Mike Heatwole said Wednesday the station should be fully operational by Friday. The upgrade involved changing mainline pumps from oil-fired turbines to modern turbines powered by electricity. For the first time, Alyeska will depend on the regional electric utility, Golden Valley Electric Association of Fairbanks, for power supply to the pipeline, although the company will retain emergency power capability at the site.

The project was done without significantly interrupting the operation of the pipeline.

Besides modernizing pumps and other equipment, the four pump stations are also being automated in the reconfiguration project, which will cost the pipeline owners more than $400 million when complete.

Heatwole said another phase of the reconfiguration, an upgrading of pipeline control systems, was completed in January and is now in operation.

The 800-mile pipeline carries crude oil from the North Slope oil fields to a marine loading terminal in Valdez. The pipeline once carried more than 2 million barrels per day but now transports about 750,000 barrels daily due to a decline in production in the oil fields.

Tim Bradner can be reached at tim.bradner@alaskajournal.com.