Every summer Alyeska Pipeline Service Company offers internships to college students around Alaska. This year, we asked them to share their thoughts about their time with Alyeska. Here’s an interview with Kyle Tee, who interned with the Facility Engineering team on the Valdez Marine Terminal.
Was this your first internship on TAPS?
This is my second Internship with Alyeska. My first Internship was in Anchorage in Project Engineering.
What were your expectations for this internship when you first started?
My expectation for this internship was to learn more information about Valdez and what type of work is involved here. Accepting this internship in Valdez I knew that I would be seeing more of the pipeline and being away from a cubical a little bit more than if I was in Anchorage and I was excited for that.
What was the most interesting or educational project you worked on and why?
The most interesting project I worked on is a design of a snow shelter to access a valve. The reason why it is so interesting is because the space to place a snow shelter is very limited. There is only about 28 inches between the building and a tank and during the winter snow is falling off of the structures and building up between them. So far the design is incomplete but it has been an enjoyable experience with it.
Who is someone who really mentored you, and how did they do that?
Todd Carsten: he gave, helped and guided me on all of the projects I worked on this summer. When we go out into the field I tend to be very observant and ask a lot of questions and Todd has done an outstanding job in providing me with answers to my questions.
Tell us about one of your favorite experiences you had during the internship.
My favorite experience would be the morning that Carol and Jeff Simmons given me the opportunity to kayak to work. It was terribly early in the morning but the whole scenery was beautiful. We didn’t encounter any wildlife of any sort but it was an awesome way start off the day.
Describe what you’ve learned about the TAPS culture.
From this internship I have a greater understanding of the five cultural attributes than I had last summer. The attribute that I most identified with is Making Sound Decision. Ever since I started to work in the Valdez Terminal I have heightened my safety awareness to ensure that I am making sound decision every day when I am out in the field and everything I do.
Now that you’ve spent many weeks working on TAPS, what’s your impression of Alyeska, TAPS, or its people?
My last impression I will have of Alyeska’s will be the extraordinary safety environment that I was given the opportunity to work in this summer.