As we debate the status of foreign oil producers a large chunk of our domestic oil production could be interrupted tonight! Alaska news radio is reporting a large wildfire closing in on Alyeska's Pump 9, in the Alaska Range, in interior Alaska. Evacuation orders have been given for Ft Greely, which is about two miles away. Smoke Jumpers, and other fire crews are backed up and making a stand to protect structures. Fortunately the oil pipeline at this location is buried, however the loss of a pumping station would be a major blow. This is the last station prior to the oil flowing across the Alaska Range. Having been on the ground previously I expect this one to be close. News reports have been sketchy. Fires of this size can create their own weather and are extremely unpredictable. Updates should be available in morning from Anchorage Daily News or Fairbanks News Miner. Roughly 25% of domestic oil production flows through the Alaska Pipeline.

-- (snowleopard6@webtv.net), June 15, 1999

Answers

SL,

You need to get a few facts straight. Pump station 9 is not the last pump station before the Alaskan mountain range. The last one is pump station 10. As I recall PS 9 is rather isolated, I don't think there would be a problem controlling the fire.

-- Watcher5 (anon@anon.com), June 15, 1999.

snowleopard=============

I believe if you check, you'll find the Alaskan Sweet crude is not for domestic consumption. It is sold overseas at a premimum, while we consume cheaper, lower grade, highly refined, import oil. Go figure huh! So it would not directly affect the gas pump, although ARCO, which is the major player on the slope, wouldn't be too happy!

Watcher, any fire in the *bush* can be a serious threat to anything in it's path, Many times these wild fires are not fought because it is quite natural in wilderness areas, and so remote as to make it difficult or unprofitable.

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), June 15, 1999.

Some points need answering here in respect to y2k. First-How much oil do we have in (under) Alaska? Second-If we lost most or ALL import oil could Alaskan oil be refined in time to prevent an economic catastrophy? Third-Do we have the pipelines in place to get oil from the interier of Alaska to a port that could handle tankers (lots of them). Fourth-Where does Canada get it's oil?

In a question(s): What is the scenario/possibility of Alaska supplying ALL U.S. oil needs and, what preps are being made, if any?

-- MidwestMike_ (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), June 15, 1999.

Michael,

I worked as a Cost/Schedule Engineer for Alyeska at Pump Station 10 during the mid seventies. Pump Station 9 is located about 25 east of Pump 10. When I said PS 9 was in an isolated area, I mis-spoke. PS 9 is located just off the main highway. I believe there is a local fire station very close to it. When I said it was isolated. I meant to say that it was not out in the boonies, but was isolated from the boonies so to speak. :) I hope that last statement makes sense.

When I left Alyeska, they planned to ship all the pipeline oil to Japan.

-- Watcher5 (anon@anon.com), June 15, 1999.

Midwest Mike:

I will answer your questions in the order given.

1. A geologist told me that we have enough oil in the north slope of Alaska to meet the U.S. needs for the next 500 years. These are known oil reserves.

2. No.

3. No. But if one wanted to divert Alaskan crude to the U.S. they would just use the existing tankers and ship them to U.S. ports.

4. Don't know.

I think it's highly unlikely that anyone is seriously thinking about diverting Alaskan crude to the U.S.

-- Watcher5 (anon@anon.com), June 15, 1999.

I think it's highly unlikely that anyone is seriously thinking about diverting Alaskan crude to the U.S.

-- Watcher5 (anon@anon.com)

Why not?

-- MidwestMike_ (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), June 15, 1999.

Mid-West Mike...

We have a lot more oil and gas in Canada than you have in the USA.....you need the pipeline functioning to get the oil. The nearest ocean is the Arctic ocean which is frozen which complicates things greatly.....As previously stated, forest fires are extremely unpredictable and large ones do create their own weather patterns. Any talk about them being easy to control is sheer lunacy....Flames can shoot over 300 feet into the air.....anything in its' path becomes toast....literally.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), June 15, 1999.

Mike,

One of the big reasons that a switch to Alaskan oil can't be done quickly is the source-specific design of refineries. Most, if not all US refineries are designed and built to handle local-well domestic or Middle East imports. Alaskan crude is a much heavier oil and few domestic refineries have been built or converted to handle it. The changeover involves major, time consuming modifications to a refinery and the oil companies never want to invest that money if they don't have to.

Instead, US oil companies came up with a strategy of "trading" sources with Japan. Middle East oil which would be used by Japan is earmarked to the US and the oil companies correspondingly ship Japan tsankers full of Alaskan crude.

If you look at the cost savings at the time, having the Japanese pay for the required new refineries and allowing the US oil companies to save those costs looked pretty good. But right now it doesn't look too good from where I'm sitting.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), June 15, 1999.

Situation Update:

Pump Staion #9 spared!. Flames came right to the fence. Windblown sparks showered the grounds, as 50mph winds sent the Chinock driven fire northward toward Delta Junction. Picture of Military Police front gate guard shack at Ft Greely looked like it had been hit and destroyed by rocket fire in a terrorist strike. Initial reports were of two military quarters destroyed by the fire and several others damaged on this evacuated Army post in interior Alaska. Information scarce, but appears some pretty heroic efforts to save both Pump 9 and Fort Greely. Lighter winds today are allowing Fire Crews to regroup and shift effort to the defense of homes in Delta Junction along the Alaskan Highway. About 20 miles of this fire have paralleled the pipeline corridor, fortunately this sector is below ground, whereas much of the pipeline is above. We can only guess how close this one really was. Great job guys! Watcher 5, Pump 10 was placed in standby status only, somewhere around summer '96.

-- (snowleopard6@webtv.net), June 15, 1999.