Environmental Monitoring

Regulatory Inspections for Pollution Prevention

Regulatory inspections for pollution prevention include several components of the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Regional Program. All trips to the offshore facilities for inspections or other visits include inspections for pollution prevention as part of the facility visit.

State Platforms

In FY 2005, the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region participated in an unannounced emergency response drill at the ConocoPhillips Tyonek Platform located in State waters in Cook Inlet. The drill required ConocoPhillips to activate their Nikiski-based incident management team and to deploy equipment and personnel required to respond to a simulated loss of well control on the platform. ConocoPhillips successfully demonstrated their capability to mobilize and deploy personnel and equipment to the spill site and activate the incident management team.

Northstar Pipeline

The Northstar pipelines are the first buried subsea pipelines in the Alaska Arctic. Although the BOEMRE does not regulate the Northstar pipelines, the BOEMRE is tracking the pipeline performance. BP has been running “smart” pigs for geometry and for the detection of corrosion and other mechanical damage through the pipeline since installation.