And while I am at it,
Dear Uncle Al, how many times did you check to see if the pipeline workers on
your payroll were in the general vicinity of Mr. NORM, you know or should know all
aboard all about that Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material? Sounds
ugly and nasty, Hazardous Duty Pay? I mean, I mean it, your fucking executive
cowards spend all kinds of loot throwing roadblocks up to every damn attempt
the workers try to bargain for organized labor - for real, what happened to
honesty the best policy as Alyeska now considered a “Public Utility” for purposes
of a single-facility unit? To forever STOP a UNION? Fucking sick, more like “Public
Enemy #1” and anybody associated with Alyeska’s executive and or management
ranks that thought that was a Make America Great Again idea, our
Founding Fathers had a definition of your destructive mindset, it is spelled TREASON.
Despicable, that some never learned the pledge of our allegiance and just
because you draft an honorable Coast Guard Vice-Admiral as the “Boss Hog” then dishonor his
once allegiance because he knows not the difference never before engaged in the private sector, it's more TREASON by TURNCOATS! Workers in America once-upon-a-time
had the right to that “UNION”, and Alyeska’s “corporate crap” has single-handedly
re-written the charter that “right” and with high powered lawyers, as I stated
it is TREASON! How Alyeska went classified a “Public Utility” in efforts to
avoid a “Union”, it is NOT such an entity and I guess the same judges this comedy
show so sad, the same ones that make the decision for that awarding of that “Most
Ethical” crap in hoax your pathetic existence! And like I have voiced time and
time again, when you waste money going after the dedicated workers that are
only trying to do things right, only trying to promote a safe work environment
and help make not break a “once” ethical company name they can trust, that
money is wasted fighting the workers’ righteousness.
So, is that executive bonus for wreaking the “Union” worth it - as that buys
your Un-American Un-Patriotic acknowledgment and that TREASON reason keeps on
giving and too bad Woody Guthrie was not still with us, as he would have
strolled up and down Bragaw in protest and I would be right there with him. He
is with us in spirit, it resonates so in protest your pathetic ways and means.
So remember this
factoid, when you 5th Floor Bragaw “ass kissers” and brats-in-heat trying to
please no-one but yourselves were so busy thinking up clever ways to break the “UNION”,
well human “shit” was at the starting gate and introduced into the pipeline in
a “boys will be girls” experiment, so was NORM as that was discovered by British
Petroleum in the late 80s. Long time ago, and like a good wine NORM gets better
with age! So if it were discovered “late”, it started in earnest Pipeline
Dynamics 101, like with “Oil In” in 1977. OK, benefit of doubt, it became a problem
in 1980 when pipeline “throughput” was up against the wall you Mother Fuckers. And
we tried, so hard to tear down that wall! To revisit, “The presence of
NORM containing scale has been known on the North Slope since the late 1980’s.
This scale has been found on the inner walls of pipe, valves and vessels.
Monitoring programs began at that time to determine the extent of NORM in the
oil field and the potential for worker exposure. Scale is deposited very
gradually on the inside of pipe walls as oil and water flow through it. Scale
formation can take years to occur. Regarding your question concerning your
right to know, BPXA’s NORM management practices have minimized the number of
workers with potential for exposure to NORM, and therefore limited the number
of workers who need NORM awareness training. These workers survey piping and
equipment and if it exceeds the action level, an HSE advisor is notified and
the equipment is marked, sealed, and removed to a specifically designated area
on a cold storage pad…in combination with a rigorous NORM management process,
assures that exposures are extremely low for workers with the potential to
contact NORM.” as explained through personal correspondence from Ross
Klie, BP Exploration Health, Safety & Environmental Manager as CC’d to Richard
Campbell, Reginal President BPXA. A letter this Alyeska worker received,
because mention NORM around Alyeska’s experts, they laugh and say it was a
great show Mr. Peterson cheers? Dear Alyeska management, ever think about a
rigorous program for your own workers safety, instead of your classic “Trust Us”!
I talked to a homeless guy the other day, said he stopped going to Bean’s Café for
a handout because Alyeska had volunteer cooks helping out, following Joe
Hazelwood’s recipe for disaster?
So also remember, “shit”
flows downhill and anything in NORM “fusion” fashion that escapes the
upstreamers up in Prudhoe Bay, it finds its way to Pump Station #1 for
safekeeping, that Mile-Post 0, and then a journey south to Valdez. So British
Petroleum acknowledged this NORM activity. And everytime that United Steel
Worker mechanic’s wrench unbolts a pressure vessel at a BP Gathering Station’s processing
train, or removes a piece of pipe to a valve, that NORM “scale” gets dislodged
and guess where it would eventually end up? Yours truly as those processing
centers are but for a few miles away by a trunk pipeline that delivers its
bounty to the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline. But low and behold, rest assured those BP “Union”
workers are protected, the reason the Valdez workers wanted in that “organized
labor” back in 1979, for protection against a fucked-up management that did not
give a rat’s ass. Don’t count on my witness this radioactive problem, as the
2002 “Renewal of the Federal Grant for the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline-System Right-of-Way”,
it is quoted: “Scale can also form on equipment at the Gathering
Facilities and the scale that forms will exhibit radioactive properties”.
Nobody reads this stuff, Appendix C, p-42, until it is too late. But not to
worry, as Alyeska is so regimented in regulation due outside oversight every
which way but loose, that’s it as that NORM never gets “outside” its intended
distribution chain, remaining totally confined within that pipe 800-miles long.
So whatever breaks away from those Gathering Centers or Flow Stations in the
form of scale and christened by NORM, it doesn’t harm a single soul. Ok, maybe
a handful come in contact with that NORM character, like Howie the lab guy,
cheers! And it ain’t regulated, as the same ROW renewal is specific that nobody
gives a rat’s ass: “NORM wastes are excluded from regulation. The State
of Alaska has not developed rules that apply to the measurement and disposal of
NORM wastes.” Off the hook, no reason for “proactive” approaches
possible nightmares on the horizon?
OK, Alyeska did
perform surveys starting in 1991, and none of the “worst case scenario bottom
sludge” samples from the Valdez storage tanks indicated a NORM above
background. What “background”? See, this is the moving target syndrome, as that
bottom sludge immunes itself away from continuous bombardment of radioisotopes
associated with NORM, passing through those tanks in the “aqueous phase”. The dissociation
of free radical radioisotopes dissolved in solution, in efforts to form NORM
waste scale, it is a very complicated process. But when I witnessed the NORM
problem at Pump Station #1, it was at the same time the issue was being
discovered by BP, and corrective action was taken to address this “un-regulated”
radioisotope that gets dissolved in that “formation water”, by changing the
ways and means this “formation water” was associated, handled away from the
crude oil stream. That is what a UNION will do for the workers called upon to
deal with hazardous waste - sorry I forgot as NORM is not regulated so out-of-sight
is out-of-mind. But that is wherein the benefit of a “UNION” speaks so loud and
clear. See, even if the governor of Alaska cares not about this NORM because she
is safe and away in Juneau and fascinated more with seeing Russia from far away,
so what if a worker “glows in the dark” and our dweeb Congressional delegates
even further away from the “hot zone” busy legislating hate for that “UNION”. At
least a shop steward could say, “No Way” and my dues well worth the extra
protection.
And who gives a rat’s
ass what happened after March 24th 1989, as that wrecked the entire ecosystem
of Prince William Sound. And as is published by the experts in this field of
radioactive glowing scale and sludge; “Norm waste is generated as a
result of the precipitation of isotopic salts into the inside surfaces in
contact, like pipes and heat exchange surfaces.” To highlight, these
isotopes are present “only in the aqueous solution phase”. So when water enters
the pipeline comingled with “crude oil”, there exists no time for this surface
contact the majority of the aqueous stream dormant, not until that oil is
rested in the storage tanks in Valdez. Woo, escaped that pipeline problem! And
then there is still very little surface contact time, as the water is drawn off
in a few hours. Look, when 2-million barrels each and everyday was being hauled
into Valdez, that would fill the storage tank farm capacity to the brim in
4-days. It means the turn-around did not allow any hang around time for this “aqueous
phase” to gain attention with NORM scaling, way to go! Woowoo, another great
escape! So it was then on to the next phase, the Ballast Water Treatment
facility and the same damn thing a process on over-drive get that water to the “outfall”
pronto, so it can overflow into the abyss. Yes, it stayed away from the
playground wherein the salts could precipitate and make waste, in this case
haste does not make waste and an “all clear”. Except for the fish stocks that
saw the light at the end of the tunnel, that glow from the outfall line’s
fallout. Like a Dan Quayle hot potatoe, just because it did not cause the
workers to grow ugly things, those lesions on those herring fry…glows in the
dark and maybe had Joe Hazelwood used that radioactive beacon flowing out of
the Valdez Bay as a guiding light…this was the “Big Oil Man’s” plan all along.
A problem YES, but un-regulated but that does not erase that problem, it passes
the test for contributory madness, I mean negligence. How so? BP told us it was
there!
And there’s thousands
of fish in the “Sound” affected by this “fallout”, so what they gain a little
attention around the girth with a glow, as that would excite the predators,
like the famished migrating salmon, to go after the easy prey shining out loud.
And then with hook, line and sinker we catch dinner! The way it was in the 80s,
turn off the lights and have a romantic “fresh catch” dinner from the “Sound”, forget
the candle-light, as with that glowing fish fry it is enlightenment to the very
last bite!
Please Take Note: The argument
herein would be the amount of “NORM laced water” that was allowed to be
accepted then discharged into the environment, through tidal currents and tide
cycle exchanges, in this case eventually at rest in the marine ecosystem of
Prince William Sound. And that “amount” means a ways and means to measure the
water content, especially if there had been in place limits of acceptability by
Alyeska as operator of the one and only pipeline that was capable of bringing
the “black gold” and “water” to a market stream. And there was an attempt to
measure that water, but the accuracy and repeatability - during the 80s - was inferior.
I know, as I was involved in the testing of the then available industry
standard devices that on paper met the criteria assurances for that “accuracy”
and “repeatability”. This testing was performed in Valdez, early-80s, accomplished
by dedicating a 500000-barrel storage tank from the West Tank Farm and subjecting
to a “controlled” experiment. It was probably the best test of record ever
performed, with precision so devised to field test “water cut” probes and
composite sampling techniques. A tank with a 75% fill was allowed to achieve “characterized”
stable oil through a time and temperature recess, a majority of the “as found” water
manually drawn off and this tank top-gas pressurized heavier then normal at 1.0”W.C.
with inert, to make sure no un-necessary light-end boil-off occurred. We were
trying to replicate “in-situ” restraints, to validate the test and whatever
findings found interest some credibility. Then water was added, flow controlled
and measured, and the contents mixed to the extremes so there existed a well-known
“homogeneous” mix that which represented North Slope “crude oil” but with an
exact known “water content”. “Thief Hatch” hand sampling tests in duplicate verified
no stratification, and when 3-samples were within the acceptable tolerance, the
test started. All in efforts to see which industry standard probe best captured
the “water content” of the fluid flowing from the tank. The probes were then
removed from the “Test Tree”, cleaned and repacked and rebuilt if necessary and
re-tested and the results compared against the hand sample a second test. Then,
more water added and the same strategy. This was a “controlled test” and from this
test a verification of which probe best suited the capture of a representative
sample consistent a water content from 0.25% to 1.5%. At the time, 3-differetnt
style probes went tested. The True Cut series, a Jistkoot and the old fashion API
that was designed in 1942. Only the latter was a “static” type device, wherein
the other “modern day” devices utilized the “moving parts” concept like a
piston pump or window opening to “thieve” an “isokinetic cut”. But there exists
a whole lot of science the workings of such probes in real life, very
complicated. Probes, those used to capture a representative sample of the fluid
of interest, these front-line excuses exhibit the same aerodynamics as a wing
of a plane. With “slip”, stall, transitional turbulence, it goes with the
territory when a fluid - defined as anything that flows, like air like water
like crude oil - flies across a boundary and these devices are very sensitive to
changes in velocity of that flowing media. OK, it is not the device itself that
succumbs to boundary layer restrictions, but the velocity changes due the “probe”
as an obstruction can impede the dynamic fluid’s property profile and that can
cause the “slingshot” effect, wherein heavy molecules disrupt away from the
mainstream and that “representative sample” is compromised. Like with any
device used to measure, or correlate, there are limitations as we do not live
in a perfect world and for the most part, in process control which still relies
on the “analog” realm, it finds limitations we deal with. So when designed, the
operating profile is paramount to achieving the 2-state fundamentals, stated
accuracy with repeatability - and that usually means finding a “correction
factor”. Yes 2-state, as both the “accuracy” and “repeatability” is the key, as
one is nothing without the other. And once that “correction factor” is
established through testing, through observations, through dedication, with deduction
of testing results it works. As long as the profile remains consistent, and if
deviations occur, like in oscillating flows, it limits even the best of
reasoning. The estimates of “water” leaving Prudhoe Bay and arriving in Valdez,
it never jived with the “samplers” the reason the testing as there was always
more water accounted for come the storage tanks “water draw”, then what was
measured at critical locations. By a factor of…it varied but we had a
comparison that warned us of something on “Tilt”. And when the tests were complete,
what was puzzling the fact there was not really a valid correlation between the
various probes, so we went back to the drawing board. We decided to
re-evaluate, redo the test and this time concentrate of the “velocity profile”
of the mainstream, wherein we had such control as once that oil left the “test”
tank, it was directed through the “Custody Transfer” skid and then found final
control at the berth, where it entered a tanker’s manifold. It meant we had
precise control of the flow, to see if the flow rate flow regime, which we
assumed was piece-wise turbulent sometimes in “transitional”, was it a factor
in how the probes behaved? The results of the second test under even tighter
control verified that fact, that even though these probes have been tested in
ideal situations, well here we had the “Ideal” no doubt about it and there
appeared to be a velocity dependent “bias”. Now this “bias” for the most part
would never enter the picture with a pipeline transporting “crude oil”, the
problem herein was the fact the TAPS was a “common carrier” and had to deal
with “comingled oil” from different formations and under different ownership, it
was sometimes an apples and oranges state of affairs. So rest assured, a “bias”
existed no matter how well we performed. And let me throw another wrench into
the “puzzle”. I was the “Lead Measurement Technician” at Pump Station#1, the beginning
of the TAPS. At the time, 5-separate players had oil being delivered and
accepted and that meant a boatload of those “water analyzers” we knew held a “bias”
to accuracy and repeatability. But we did our best for some it was not good
enough. OK, 14-analyzers, which meant full-time maintenance to rebuild the “probes”
and along with a full-time lab with personal to test those samples for revenue
accounting, on a daily basis as the $cash register$ receipts for those oil
deliveries went on a 24-hour basis. The “Owner Company” of Alyeska hired a
field auditor from some fancy New Mexico scientific think tank, to audit how we
did the business with the “chain of custody” the analyzer maintenance to
collection of the samples to the lab testing results to correct the $receipts$ - as the water content was subtracted from the measured deliveries to accommodate
a “Net Oil” result. Low and behold, the auditor’s report thought one of the
techs was fudging the results - as his lab results were pretty consistent when
time-marked, day after day after day for 7-days in a row as that was the work
schedule. And then, his relief would have the same duties, and her results were
time-stamped all over the map and that was the thought process, as nothing in
the real world stays the same and the auditors thought it was a red-herring-flag
warning, such consistency with the guy now under the microscope. See, we are
talking “Big Bucks”, so there was always room for doubt. So I came to the
defense of this guy under this scrutiny and explained, he does the test the
same damn way the same damn time and like a robot and never takes a break - wherein
his counterpart did some here and then there a break in between, so no consistency
end of discussion the auditor felt like a fool. So with these samplers and our
quest for accuracy and repeatability, we have to remember there is also that “human
element” involved an essential component the overall requirement to measure
that “water”! Here is what I know and care to share. I would venture to say,
10000 barrels each and everyday of unadulterated formation bearing NORM water waves
coming to rest in Valdez, then thrown overboard - free of any tar balls or stubborn
oil, but still containing the same amount of NORM - not as a NORM waste, but in
that dissolved form. At least when that stuff precipitates out at its origin,
the forming scale traps that radioisotope charm, but when in a hurry as sell
that booty is all that counts…And when thrown overboard, the solution to NORM
pollution is…it does not mix, nor does it get neutralized, it remains in
solution and helps fish grow with a glow. See, when the herring fisheries in
the “Sound” started to decline in the years before the EXXON Valdez “wreck”, of
course the scientists involved in researching the why for how comes, well they
had all the data they needed from the oil industry to try and catch the
culprit, except this NORM. It was not regulated so it was not measured, it
means no background data available as there was never a requirement to document
this sidearm - like a concealed weapon. And to this day, the same scientific
community remains baffled as to how and why even before Joe sunk his career on
Bligh Reef, a navigational hazard taught to the kindergarten class in Valdez, why
the herring population was seeing weird patterns of survival. And then the “Wreck”
added another element of surprise, as by 1993, what herring? But scientists are
equipped to deduce worst case scenarios, yet with all the research $loot$ from
the “wreck” litigation-in-payoff, still no definitive acknowledgment the weak
returns of that species which forms the backbone of the food supply, relied
upon by salmon to whales. Now I would place a bet on my reputation as the most
dedicated technician that ever worked for Uncle Al, but because I gave that rat’s
ass and was taken down by Alyeska’s inHumane Resources clowns, if somebody came
forward with NORM levels consistent with oil development activities on the North
Slope, then the scientists would then have that missing link - the last ingredient
necessary to…best get a UNION to represent those findings as back pay for
hazardous duty? Ch-ching game “Not Over” anyone!
Hey NORM - Life in Alaska!
