What Is It?

Trans-Alaska pipeline. The arrow points to a thermosiphon cooling device to keep the soil frozen.

Yes, I guess that was an easy one....I'm wondering if some day this may be pumping water down to the lower 48...

In the news....

Is The End In Sight For Alaska’s Oil Based Economy?

"Alaska has long been one of the few U.S. states without an income tax. Thanks to its incredible bounty of natural resources, the state had more than enough cash coming in through oil company taxes and especially Prudhoe Bay production. All of that is starting to change. After a 40 year oil boom that transformed Alaska from a frozen tundra into one of the richest states in the country, the oil price crash is bringing reality back to bear.

Alaska’s problems go deeper than the current oil price collapse though. Simply put, the state is getting long in the tooth – at least as far as its productive assets go. The Prudhoe Bay Oil field, once the largest such field in North America, is starting to reach the end of its life. In 1985, the Prudhoe Bay field was pumping 2 million barrels per day – roughly a quarter of the total U.S. output. Today it is pumping 500,000 barrels a day. That’s leaving the 800 mile Trans-Alaska pipeline seriously under-utilized.

Roughly 90 percent of Alaska’s general fund revenues are tied to oil. Between the oil price collapse and the inexorable decline of oil production over time, Alaska now faces a $4B budget deficit, all while the state has slid into an oil related recession over the last year. With the State’s rainy day fund burning through $11 million per day, that energy fund will be exhausted in less than two years.

All of this is a new challenge for Alaska and its roughly three-quarters of a million residents. Alaska has traditionally lightly yoked its residents with the lowest tax burden of any state across the country. In contrast, it has also had the highest per capita spending in the country thanks to its vast swath of territory. Both facets of this social compact may have to change. The State and its new governor, Bill Walker are already looking closely at implementing a state income tax for the first time in 35 years. Walker is also looking to double the gas tax and cut corporate incentives for energy firms."

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Is-The-End-In-Sight-For-Alaskas-Oil-Based-Economy.html

Just keep swinging till the rope breaks.

I worked seasonally off and on in Alaska from 1979 to 1994, and continuously from 2008 to 2015. Those were perhaps the state's best years. I hope they can find substitute resources for their economy. Fishing and tourism remain strong, but timber declined even before oil.

They could pipeline water, but it would taste like the water in Big Springs, TX. Sort of a paraffinic afterbite with a slight musky aromatic hint, similar to eating dirt.

Why is there only one such device in the pictrure? Perhaps, the picture is taken during the construction phase? Or is something else that I don't understand?

The pipe's shade to the ground is also a free solution to keep the soil at low temperature.

Why is the pipeline shaped like a 2 in the upper part of the picture? Is it revision 2?

You should see the 8 toward the end of the pipeline.

These are slider rails to allow movement of the ground during an earthquake...

Great photographs!

In the first one, it looks like there's a (kink) just past the first (slider-rail) which suggests uneven (sliding) as one possible contributing factor...

But, my question is to ask:

Why the centroid of the (cradle ?) wasn't directly over the centroid of the (slider) ?

"On November 3, 2002, the Denali Fault ruptured over a distance of 336 km, producing the largest earthquake from a continental strike-slip fault in North America since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Measuring 7.9 in magnitude, the earthquake caused ground to shift beneath the pipeline 14 feet horizontally and 2.5 feet vertically. The violent shaking damaged a few of the pipeline's supports near the fault, but the pipeline itself did not break. It was the first significant quake to test the pipeline's mettle."

http://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/08/how-trans-alaska-pipeline-survived-2002.html

Yet another great photograph.

That the pipeline survived simultaneous 14 ft horizontal, and 2.5 ft vertical, lateral displacements without rupture, is an impressive demonstration of effective design...

Let's hope there is no (as yet undiscovered) fault nearby, that runs parallel to the pipeline...

Expansion "loops".

A perfect place for an "Old Geezer Joke!"

This was just sent to me by a friend - - -
Dr. Geezer
An old geezer became very bored in retirement and decided to open a medical clinic.
He put a sign up outside that said: "Dr. Geezer's clinic. Get your treatment for $500, if not cured, get back $1,000."
Doctor "Young," who was positive that this old geezer didn't know beans about medicine, thought this would be a great opportunity to get $1,000.
So he went to Dr. Geezer's clinic.
This is what transpired:
Dr. Young: "Dr. Geezer, I have lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me ??"
Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in Dr. Young's mouth."
Dr. Young: Aaagh !! -- "This is Gasoline!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You've got your taste back. That will be $500."
Dr. Young gets annoyed and goes back after a couple of days figuring to recover his money.
Dr Young: "I have lost my memory, I cannot remember anything."
Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please bring medicine from box 22 and put 3 drops in the patient's mouth."
Dr. Young: "Oh, no you don't, -- that is Gasoline!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You've got your memory back. That will be $500."
Dr. Young (after having lost $1000) leaves angrily and comes back after several more days.
Dr. Young: "My eyesight has become weak --- I can hardly see anything !!!!
Dr. Geezer: "Well, I don't have any medicine for that so, "Here's your $1000 back." (giving him a $10 bill)
Dr. Young: "But this is only $10!"
Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You got your vision back! That will be $500."
Moral of story--Just because you're "Young" doesn't mean that you can outsmart an "old Geezer " !

Old age and treachery beat youth and enthusiasm every time.

ROFLMAO!