Supplying the Goods

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is 800 miles long, making it one of the largest pipeline systems in the world. It stretches from Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope to the port of Valdez. The pipeline transports nearly 700,000 barrels of oil per day. Since 1977, it has transported over 15 billion barrels.

But on Monday, August 7, 2006, about one-third of its regular oil load stopped flowing. BP, one of the world's largest oil producers, shut down oil production from Prudhoe Bay. The move was made after discovering severe corrosion and a small spill from an oil transit line there.

BP owns about 22 miles of pipeline in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield. The discovery was made by what's called, a "smart pig." These pigs are no ordinary swine, though. They are actually robot-like devices that run through pipelines to detect possible problems.

Most of TAPS is 30 years old, and corrosion over the years has caused pipes to fail in some places over recent years. While pigs are always running through the system, it is impossible to monitor all 800 miles of pipeline at once. Nonetheless, the benefits of the pipeline to people generally outweigh the risks of failure and oil spills.

Transportation of goods, like oil, from one place to another to benefit people has been going on for millennia. Such systems always take a lot of time, effort, and resources to build. Roadways are another example of this. The route a road will take from one point to another must be carefully mapped out, and how the road will go over or through rough terrain or water features must also be planned in advance.

After a road is built, it takes a lot of maintenance to keep it running right. Road workers are constantly filling in potholes and re-painting divider lines, for example.

TAPS illustrates the ups and downs a transportation system experiences. So for this week's lesson, you will explore how the pipeline was built and how it is maintained. You will also take a look at some ancient technology to discover how the Romans transported water from one place to another. As you journey through these systems, think about what kinds of resources are transported from one place to another that benefit your own hometown.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS)

Start your exploration by visiting with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which oversees the operation of TAPS. Review the Pipeline Facts. Why was this pipeline constructed? Over how many mountain ranges and waterways does the pipeline cross?

In Pipeline History, about how many bore holes and soil samples were done? How many federal and state permits were required? How long did it take to construct and how much did it cost? About how many total people worked on the construction?

In what ways did Pipeline Design take into account the different soil types (thaw-stable and thaw-unstable) and wildlife routes the pipeline would cross? Besides the piping itself, what other features had to be built? How did the project planners deal with the region's Permafrost? What kinds of construction materials were used? What are the four different types of pigs used in the Pipe?

Read through the rest of the Pipeline Facts, or go on to take a closer look at The Alaska Pipeline at PBS. Review the Map of the pipeline to get your bearings. Next, check out some of the Special Features.

First, compare a few Pipelines & Aqueducts. For example, how does TAPS compare with the California Aqueduct and Black Mesa Coal Pipeline?

As you have learned in the Pipeline Facts, constructing TAPS took a lot of Welding. Begin Activity to find out why choosing the right electrode type can lead to a successful seal or a disaster waiting to happen. Then, do the activities for Pumping and Safety. In what specific ways did technology overcome challenging obstacles here?

Watch the Construction Footage to see what building TAPS was like for workers on-site. Also, compare and contrast the Alaska Flyover Videos, showing what the area looks like With the Pipeline and Without the Pipeline.

If you have time, browse through the Timeline and the People & Events sections. After you have finished your visit at this site, write a paragraph on some of the things you have learned about TAPS and its construction.

If want to explore more construction challenges in Alaska, check out Building the Alaska Highway.

Way of the Waterworks

Using a water faucet is probably something you do not think too much about. You turn a handle and water pours out. Easy, right?

While it may be easy for you, the consumer, getting the water from its source to your home is a much more difficult task. Lucky for you, engineers have been refining water supply systems for centuries, making water flow at our fingertips.

The Roman Empire was one of the first large-scale builders of water transportation systems. In fact, had they not been able to turn dry regions into wetter ones, the empire would have failed to grow with such prosperity.

To find out how they accomplished this feat, let's make a stop in the Roman Bath at PBS. Here, expert Peter Aicher explains how Watering Ancient Rome helped to build this vast and powerful empire. What were some reasons that Romans spent the time, effort, and money on water transportation systems? What role did Arcades play in the system and how was the water cleaned along its delivery route?

Next, try your hand at Constructing an Aqueduct. Read through the Roman Aqueduct Manual and then play the Java Applet or Shockwave version of the game. In what ways did the land's topography dictate which type of construction you used for the different sections of the pipeline?

Now, think about your own home: Draw floor plans of your home and identify spots where water can be turned on. Try to figure out how exactly the water pipes run through the house, and then illustrate the system on your floor plan. How do you think the water gets transported to levels aboveground?

Newspaper Activities

Ask for a map of your city, which includes street names and key landmarks. If possible, also get a map that shows your city's topography to use as an additional reference or overlay on the street map. Read Targetnewspaper articles to identify and choose a transport system in your city to research. For example, if you find news stories about the local water supply, identify the water supply system. Other systems might include: electricity, gasoline, food, clothing, telephone, etc.

Once you have chosen a topic, determine where the resource (for example, water) originates. Next, identify places in your city where the resource is used. A water supply may originate in an aquifer directly below or it may get piped in from a nearby reservoir; the city may use water for fountains, in homes, and in public and commercial buildings. Choose three places, including your school, that you can identify on a map. Mark on the maps where the resource originates or comes into your city, and the three places where the resource is used. Create icons and choose one or more colors to represent these and other features on your map. Use your research and observation skills to find out what route the resource takes to go from its origin or entry point into the city to each of the three places. (It may be difficult to uncover a route completely and accurately, but do your best.)

Also, identify sections along the route where the method of transportation changes. Use a 3x5 card to explain how and why it changes in each section. For water, for example, some pipes may rise aboveground, like across a narrow canyon, while other sections may be buried belowground, like under city streets. For resources transported by roadway, the route may shift from running on solid ground to crossing a bridge that spans a river channel. Make sure to include a map legend that explains what your colors and icons represent.

As an extended collaborative project, post a large city map identifying key landmarks on the classroom wall. Take turns with classmates to transpose each individual map onto the larger map. Color code each transport system, agree on what icons should represent key features, and add them to the master map legend. Discuss where some systems overlap and what kinds of maintenance needs to be done to keep each system flowing.