From Alyeska Pipeline
By THOMAS BARRETT
A central topic of this year’s Legislative session in Juneau is what to do about declining throughput in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. This ongoing problem drives much of our daily work at Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. We all want the pipeline to safely transport Alaskan crude oil long into the future. That’s the best outcome for both our owner companies and for Alaska. From our pump stations, to our Valdez Marine Terminal, to our urban offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks, to the Capitol in Juneau, there is a shared understanding among Alaskans that bringing on more oil production from new and legacy fields is the best way to extend the life of the pipeline, maintain the health of the Alaska economy and sustain domestic crude oil supply.
The challenges from declining throughput confront us today. Until new production is on line, Alyeska will continue to apply our professional expertise and innovation to address the pipeline’s unique challenges, as we have for decades. We will research the smart paths forward and implement effective solutions.
Because the pipeline is so critical for all Alaskans, we all have a role to play toward its successful future. For the people of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, that means continued commitment to safe operations, environmental stewardship, reliability and efficiency. For Alaskans, it means understanding our challenges and the importance of the pipeline to our state. For our elected officials, it means enacting laws that will help drive an increase in production and reinforce the prosperity of Alaska. At Alyeska, we will continue to do our job every day.
We look to our fellow Alaskans to help us out by supporting steps needed to stop the decline in the line.
- Thomas Barrett is president of the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.