Letter of Thanks to Alyeska Pipeline Workers
from Greg Campbell, dated January 17, 2011

I would like to express my personal and our company’s thanks to all of our employees, vendors and also to our client for all of the outstanding work that has been done over the last week.

  • We completed 70 shop welds from 1-1/2” through 24” with only one minor repair and no incidents or accidents.
  • We completed 4 shop hydro test, 6 hydro welds, and dozens of 26” 24” and 16” bolt ups with only one minor first aid.
  • We shipped all of the pipe spools and thousands of pounds of tools, supplies and drain down material to PS#1 to support the pipeline shutdown.
  • We supported the pre-staging of the cold restart pumps and piping at PS#3, 5, 7, 9 and 12.
  • We conducted hundreds of pipe temperature readings and provided heat to critical pressure and temperature transmitters from the PS#1 to Valdez.
  • We raised over 20 check valve clappers line wide.
  • We flew equipment and manpower from locations throughout the lower 48 and Alaska.
  • We provided continuous service and maintenance for all of the needed equipment.
  • We tracked the pig for 70 miles and trapped it at PS#8. To support trapping the pig we removed the 42” spacer blinds and installed the rings on the PS#8 bypass, fill and pressurize the bypass and divert oil flow once the pig was captured.
  • We completed a drain down of the 42” discharge and booster pump piping at PS#1.
  • We installed a new 42” weld neck flange and blind to isolate the old booster pump piping from the system
  • We installed new booster pump discharge piping consisting of more than 20 field bolt-ups and 3 24” field welds.
  • We successful refilled and started up of TAPS.
  • We manned 24 hour shifts at RGV’s during startup work.
  • We helped man the Incident Management Team in Fairbanks.
  • We worked 24/7 with many of our folks going well past 12 hours per day to support the operations.
  • We helped develop and SOC multiple procedures used during the shutdown.

All of this was done in the last 8 days, with many of our employees playing key roles in the response. I was talking to someone this morning and they said we have been very lucky, I don’t think luck has anything to do with your performance. You are all driven professionals who take great pride in your individual professions or crafts. This pride and professionalism has clearly been demonstrated to our company and our client through your performance over this last week.

We have completed a large amount of work but we still have a long way to go before we can stand down from this response. Please keep focused and look out for each other as we start the demobilization process at PS#1 and the other locations and shifting of resources and personnel to other tasks along the pipeline.

Please continue to use the LPS tools to help manage your safety and the safety of your teams. Always do and SPSA each time you start at task, start a piece of equipment or when conditions change (EVERY TASK EVERY TIME).

Once again on behalf of Wade, myself and the whole HCC management team

Thank You for a Job well done, you should all be very proud of your accomplishments.

Have a safe week Greg