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Alaska Pipeline The Alaska Pipeline is a crucial oil supply chain that extends eight hundred miles from the coast of Alaska off Prudhoe Bay down to Port Valdez, Alaska. From there, nearly one million barrels a day—roughly one fifth of the oil used by the nation—is shipped to the lower forty-eight states. The pipeline took over three years to complete, starting in April 1974 and opening in June 1977. The Alyeska Pipeline Service Company took on the task of constructing the six sections of pipeline. The pipeline was built with the environment in mind. Parts of the pipeline were buried underground to compensate for the migratory habits of caribou herds; in other areas the line was elevated in order to keep permafrost from melting. The pipeline does not intrinsically interfere with its surrounding environment; however, a threat to nature arises when errors in the pipeline’s operation occur. Even though it was built to withstand earthquakes, the biggest threat to the safety of the pipeline remains intentional attacks. Several incidents of vandalism have occurred recently. In October 2001, an intoxicated hunter was arrested for shooting a hole into a weld in the pipeline that spilled about six thousand barrels of oil onto the surrounding trees and grassland. While it took almost three days for an emergency team to plug the leak and restore pipeline operation, the cleanup took even longer. Though it is a complex chore to guard an eight hundred mile stretch of oil, the pipeline is under constant inspection, which is carried out in a variety of methods. While most system checks are adequate to ensure a thorough examination of the entire line, the strategic placement of surveillance bases throughout the length of the line allows a complete survey in only two hours. In addition, most tracking is done by air to get a sufficient view of the line and surrounding area in a reasonable amount of time. But because of such a sluggish response to leaks caused by incidents such as the aforementioned vandalism in 2001, the effectiveness of the surveillance system has been questioned. However, when performed diligently, this constant vigilance should allow the country to be supplied with oil while protecting the environment from possible harm caused by damage to the line.
Selected Bibliography Aucoin, Mary P. “Tapping into the History of the Alaska Pipeline.” Pipeline and Gas Journal 224 (June 1997): 46–9.
“Trans-Alaska Pipeline.” Solcomhouse. Weblink.
Alaska Pipeline Pictures in the Gallery 
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