Origins Trans-Alaska Pipeline System

iñupiat people on north slope of alaska had mined oil-saturated peat possibly thousands of years, using fuel heat , light. whalers stayed @ point barrow saw substance iñupiat called pitch , recognized petroleum. charles brower, whaler settled @ barrow , operated trading posts along arctic coast, directed geologist alfred hulse brooks oil seepages @ cape simpson , fish creek in far north of alaska, east of village of barrow. brooks report confirmed observations of thomas simpson, officer of hudson s bay company first observed seepages in 1836. similar seepages found @ canning river in 1919 ernest de koven leffingwell. following first world war, united states navy converted ships coal fuel oil, stable supply of oil became important u.s. government. accordingly, president warren g. harding established executive order series of naval petroleum reserves (npr-1 through -4) across united states. these reserves areas thought rich in oil , set aside future drilling u.s. navy. naval petroleum reserve no. 4 sited in alaska s far north, south of barrow, , encompassed 23,000,000 acres (93,078 km). other naval petroleum reserves embroiled in controversy on government corruption in teapot dome scandal.

the first explorations of npr-4 undertaken u.s. geological survey 1923 1925 , focused on mapping, identifying , characterizing coal resources in western portion of reserve , petroleum exploration in eastern , northern portions of reserve. these surveys pedestrian in nature; no drilling or remote sensing techniques available @ time. these surveys named many of geographic features of areas explored, including philip smith mountains , quadrangle.

the petroleum reserve lay dormant until second world war provided impetus explore new oil prospects. first renewed efforts identify strategic oil assets 2 pronged survey using bush aircraft, local inupiat guides, , personnel multiple agencies locate reported seeps. ebbley , joesting reported on these initial forays in 1943 starting in 1944, u.s. navy funded oil exploration near umiat mountain, on colville river in foothills of brooks range. surveyors u.s. geological survey spread across petroleum reserve , worked determine extent until 1953, when navy suspended funding project. usgs found several oil fields, notably alpine , umiat oil field, none cost-effective develop.

four years after navy suspended survey, richfield oil corporation (later atlantic richfield , arco) drilled enormously successful oil near swanson river in southern alaska, near kenai. resulting swanson river oil field alaska s first major commercially producing oil field, , spurred exploration , development of many others. 1965, 5 oil , 11 natural gas fields had been developed. success , previous navy exploration of petroleum reserve led petroleum engineers conclusion area of alaska north of brooks range surely held large amounts of oil , gas. problems came area s remoteness , harsh climate. estimated between 200,000,000 barrels (32,000,000 m) , 500,000,000 barrels (79,000,000 m) of oil have recovered make north slope oil field commercially viable.

in 1967, atlantic richfield (arco) began detailed survey work in prudhoe bay area. january 1968, reports began circulating natural gas had been discovered discovery well. on march 12, 1968, atlantic richfield drilling crew hit paydirt. discovery began flowing @ rate of 1,152 barrels (183.2 m) of oil per day. on june 25, arco announced second discovery likewise producing oil @ similar rate. together, 2 wells confirmed existence of prudhoe bay oil field. new field contained more 25 billion barrels (4.0×10^ m) of oil, making largest in north america , 18th largest in world.

the problem became how develop oil field , ship product u.s. markets. pipeline systems represent high initial cost lower operating costs, no pipeline of necessary length had yet been constructed. several other solutions offered. boeing proposed series of gigantic 12-engine tanker aircraft transport oil field, boeing rc-1. general dynamics proposed line of tanker submarines travel beneath arctic ice cap, , group proposed extending alaska railroad prudhoe bay. ice breaking oil tankers proposed transport oil directly prudhoe bay.

in 1969, humble oil , refining company sent specially fitted oil tanker, ss manhattan, test feasibility of transporting oil via ice-breaking tankers market. manhattan fitted ice-breaking bow, powerful engines, , hardened propellers before traveling northwest passage atlantic ocean beaufort sea. during voyage, ship suffered damage several of cargo holds, flooded seawater. wind-blown ice forced manhattan change intended route m clure strait smaller prince of wales strait. escorted through northwest passage canadian coast guard icebreaker, ccgs john a. macdonald. although manhattan transited northwest passage again in summer of 1970, concept considered risky. pipeline viable system transporting oil nearest port free of pack-ice, 800 miles (1,300 km) away @ valdez.