Construction of the Alaskan Pipeline

The Alaskan Pipeline, also known as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, required more than a year of preparatory construction and more than two years of construction and testing, according to the Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau. More than 21,000 workers helped make the pipeline a reality.

Preparations

The U.S. government approved the construction of the pipeline in November 1973, but the need to build pump facilities and roads for equipment hauling delayed actual construction until 1975. The support road extended for 360 miles between Prudhoe Bay and the Yukon River.

Progress

Between 1975 and 1977, workers laid more than 800 miles of pipe, battling such obstacles as the 2,678 feet of Thompson Pass that towered as an obstacle just 25 miles from the final destination of Valdez Terminal. The first oil sent through the pipeline finally reached the Terminal on July 28, 1977.

Components

Workers had to construct a total of 12 pump stations, including 10 regular stations and two backup stations. They also had to install 151 valves at various points along the pipeline's 800-mile span. The pipe itself required insulation and above-ground installation in areas threatened by permafrost.

References

• Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau: The Trans-Alaska Pipeline