Comments
by Al Bolea, BP Pipelines
David Wight spoke of the extraordinary achievements of the past 30 years that have brought us to this moment. We are here because of the non-stop round the clock every day effort to ensure this pipeline remains in excellent operating condition.
It
takes talented people within our companies to accomplish this goal, but it also
requires the collaboration and perspective we find within our regulatory
agencies, and from our communities and neighbors… Success such as we’ve seen
with this system could not have been achieved without encouraging a wide
diversity of thought… We value it and
are grateful, particularly to the state and federal regulatory agencies for
their contributions.
This
renewal has been a substantial undertaking in its own right. The TAPS Owners started preparing for the
renewal about four years ago, just about the time Governor Knowles began his
second term in office.
Normally,
pipeline renewals are routine permitting events; rarely, if ever, require completion
of an Environmental Impact Statement.
In recognition of the significance of the pipeline, the TAPS owners
formed a task force in 1998 to prepare for renewal. Since then thousands of
man-hours have been dedicated and $30
million invested in reviewing every aspect of the system. In recent weeks, we even ordered a
once-in-700-year earthquake..just to make sure it could withstand a good shake.
For
those of us who have been directly involved, the process has seemed endless at
times – but it has required the same collaboration and attention to detail that
David Wight spoke of… It is just how
things are done when TAPS is involved.
It’s
a tremendous tribute to everyone associated with this effort – not only that
we’re able to conclude renewal – but that it has been achieved on
schedule. This would not have been
possible without the personal commitment of Governor Knowles and his staff;
those in the Joint Pipeline Office, the Departments of Environmental Conservation,
Natural Resources and Fish and Game.
I’d like to specifically thank John Kerrigan, State Pipeline Coordinator
and Marti Rutherford, Deputy Commissioner with DNR. These two individuals committed enormous hours towards ensuring
that this renewal was accomplished correctly, thoroughly and efficiently.
I’d
also like to thank Governor Knowles, his staff and the legislature for acting
favorably on our request for a 30-year right of way renewal. The length and terms of the TAPS renewal
send a clear message to oil and gas industry investors about Alaska’s long-term
business climate – it gives companies like BP the confidence we need to
continue to make the huge capital investments necessary to sustain North Slope
production.
Finally,
I’d like to again pay tribute to those who designed and built the pipeline and
particularly to those who have operated it safely for the past 25 years. It’s a reminder that, in the end, the
success of any enterprise is all about people, their respect for themselves,
pride in their accomplishments, and the way they are treated and feel they have
been treated.
To all of you, a heartfelt thanks.