Oversight of Petroleum Systems Integrity in Alaska

• Main Authors: Norton, Dave, Owens, Jennifer L.
• Other Authors: Hawk Consultants, Anchorage
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center 2015
• Subjects: Petroleum systems integrity; north slope; Alaska
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/193720

Presentation Following pipeline leaks on the Alaskan North Slope in 2006, the state of Alaska, by executive order of the governor, responded by establishing the Petroleum Systems Integrity Office (PSIO) as the lead state agency responsible for oversight of the maintenance of facilities, equipment, and infrastructure for oil and natural gas resources in Alaska. The executive order identified three major activities for PSIO: • An assessment of Alaska’s oil and gas infrastructure integrity; • An assessment of current regulatory oversight in Alaska; and • A review of industry oversight efforts. PSIO efforts identified infrastructure components with indeterminate regulatory oversight. In addition, PSIO recommended improvements in state oversight, including establishment of minimum requirements for operators’ integrity management systems and the ability to collect sufficient information to develop leading performance indicators. PSIO was consolidated into another state agency in 2014 and its mission was suspended in 2015. Future efforts to improve policies, systems, and methods of oversight will depend on executive direction, legislative support, and emphasis within state agencies.