PHMSA 04-07
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
 

US DOT Pipeline Safety Agency Teams With Alaska To Strengthen Oil and Gas Oversight

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the State of Alaska today announced an agreement to provide stronger oversight over oil and natural gas production and transportation facilities located within the State's borders.

In a letter of intent signed yesterday, the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources agreed to partner with PHMSA to enhance the protection of public safety, the environment, and the reliability of energy supply through more effective coordination of oversight of oil and gas production and transportation. The agreement, the first of its kind in Alaska, will close gaps in inspection coverage between Alaska production and transmission systems, improve risk assessment and oversight of unique and aging infrastructure, advance development of design and construction standards for future arctic pipelines, and increase timely data exchange about arctic maintenance and corrosion management.

"Protecting safe and reliable transport of energy from Alaska is essential to continuing economic growth and meeting the nation's goal of energy independence," said DOT Acting Deputy Secretary and PHMSA Administrator Thomas Barrett. "This partnership will help us to identify, assess, and address potential risks to the oil and gas transportation infrastructure ¿ allowing us to prevent system failures before they occur."

PHMSA has jurisdiction over oil and gas transmission pipelines in Alaska, including approximately 200 miles of pipelines on Alaska's North Slope and the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, which is jointly shared with the Alaska's Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality.

Recent events in Alaska, including pipeline failures on the North Slope, have highlighted the need for the State's oversight agencies and PHMSA to implement more comprehensive and effective oversight, Barrett stated.

"The Department remains committed to ensuring America's pipelines are capable of safely operating at full service to deliver vital energy products," said Barrett. "Working with our State partners is one of the best ways to get the job done."

There are over 4,600 miles of pipelines in Alaska, delivering about 10 percent of America's energy products to the lower 48 states.

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