- 10 -
field, the accomplishment of which constituted an engineering
feat of breathtaking proportions.
Construction of the oil wells and of the related oil
production facilities at Prudhoe Bay represents the largest oil
development project in our country’s history. In addition to the
oil wells, an extensive network of facilities was constructed to
separate gas and water from crude oil recovered from the
reservoir, to reinject separated natural gas and water into the
reservoir in order to maintain reservoir pressure for enhanced
oil recovery, to prepare recovered oil for transport through
TAPS, to supply the necessary power and fuel requirements
associated with all Prudhoe Bay operations, and to provide
necessary support facilities.
The Prudhoe Bay oil field is laid out in a manner similar to
an offshore oil field with centralized oil production facilities
and isolated drilling locations. The oil well drilling equipment
at the well sites rests on gravel pads called “well pads” from
which multiple wells are drilled directionally underground into
the oil reservoir. The six large production centers within the
oil field are called “gathering centers” or “flow stations”.
Above-ground pipelines throughout the Prudhoe Bay oil field
rest on vertical support members (VSM’s) and run from oil well
drilling sites, to the production centers, and to TAPS.
Pipelines within the Prudhoe Bay oil field are elevated on the
VSM’s above the ground at a sufficient height so that the tundra
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Next
Last modified: May 25, 2011