Trans-Alaskan Pipeline Case Study Flashcards
What was the Trans Alaskan Pipeline built for?
To transport oil from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez
What are the two main TNC’s incolved in oil and gas exploration in the Arctic Circle?
BP and Shell
Which organisation demonstrates against exploration?
Greenpeace
How long is the pipeline?
800 miles
How large is the Prudhoe Bay oilfield?
86,000 hectares (largest in the USA)
When was the pipeline built?
1974-1977
What was the estimated cost of the pipeline?
US$8 billion
How many people worked on the pipeline during its construction?
70,000
How much of US domestic oil production does the TAP provide?
20%
When does Alaskan law state the pipeline must be removed?
2075
What must happen when the pipeline is removed?
The landscape must be returned to its natural state
What is the daily capacity of the TAP?
1.4 billion barrels of oil
What are the opportunities of the TAP?
- Growth of boom towns
- Boosted the Alaskan economy
- Improved infrastructure
- Reduced US dependency on oil from the Middle East
- Locals receive dividends
How did the population of Valdez change during construction of the TAP?
Grew 6 times larger between 1974-1977
What are the challenges of the TAP?
- Increased risk of oil spills
- Overstretched infrastructure
- Crime increased
- House prices rose
How much did house prices rise following construction of the TAP?
100% in some areas
What are the two most significant oil spills in Alaskan history?
- Valdez oil spill, Exxon (1989)
- Prudhoe Bay oil spill, BP (2006)
What occurred during the Exxon Valdez oil spill?
- An oil supertanker struck a reef off the coast of Valdez
- Spilled 37,000 tonnes of oil over a number of days
What occurred during the BP Prudhoe Bay oil spill?
- A major oil spill which went undetected for 5 days
- Caused limited impacts as the spill was on land and was scraped off the tundra landscape
- BP was fined US$20 million
Why is the pipeline elevated in some areas?
To prevent the pipe from melting the permafrost
Why do the elevated sections have sliding joints?
Allows the joints to be shifted to protect against subsidence
Under which areas is the pipeline buried and thickly insulated?
- Roads
- Avalanche-sensitive areas
- Caribou migration routes
How much of the buried pipeline is refrigerated and why?
4 miles - to prevent thawing of the permafrost
At how many points along the pipe have special valves been placed and why?
71 - can shut down the whole system in 4 minutes to prevent major oil spills
How were the area’s ecosystems stabilised following construction?
Fast-growing species were introduced, as tundra can take 50 years to recover naturally from disruptions
