TAPS Design Concepts: Environmental Concerns

The engineering concepts utilized in the design, construction, and operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) were often new and in many cases state-of-the-art. In order to accommodate the concerns for constructing and operating a hot oil pipeline in permafrost soil, unique features were engineered into TAPS. These design concepts included accommodating for thaw-unstable soils, earthquakes, and major river. Additionally, the system includes a sophisticated leak detection and internal pipeline monitoring system as part of the overall pipeline monitoring operations. While many factors of TAPS are new concepts to crude oil pipelines, the advancement of pipeline designs has materially increased as has the industry's ability to accommodate the environmental concerns associated with pipelines in seasonal and permafrost areas.