Now that Captain Joe Hazelwood is dead and gone, my final resting place story!
Memories & Mileposts
Dear Alyeska;
I find great admiration that the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is publishing this “Memories & Milepost” gig on the company web-site. It brings back memories for this axed-Alyeskan employee, especially nice this romancing of the “ship of fools” since many of us are now in retirement and have moved away from Alaska. And with such meaningful publications, it allows for the general public to get a feeling of what it was like working on “TAPS”, the Trans-Alaskan-Pipeline-System - as it brings back fond memories as an employee of the “Pipeline People”, that “Best of the Best”. So I encourage Alyeska, please feel free to publish my story, as when I come in contact with past employees they are still asking to hear that story. So here it is.
Michael S. Kelley – SCADA, I&E and Measurement Lead Technician 1979 through 1990.
Fresh Grounds Grounding – Alyeska’s Ship of Fools, Keeping it Under TAPS!
Wow, 45-years since the 1st barrel of North Slope “crude oil” made its way to Valdez through the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline! Amazing achievements since then for the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company – better known as the “Pipeline People” – the “Best of the Best”??? Yes in question the latter, as make no mistake about it Alyeska despised any “whistle-blowing” activities by its employees, even if incited through its “Best” employees that had no other choice and for sure the Bragaw Street executives hated any instinct by the dedicated workers in interest concerted representation, as that was considered outside interference. Like would be found in a “Union” and something once-upon-a-time company President George M. Nelson would not stand for when guarding the 5th Floor “helm”, as it was the greatest of all fears for that “Big Oil” that owned Alyeska! The “Union” showed its pride and glory during the pipeline’s construction era with the Teamsters and 798 welders – in worker dedication that made sure those girth welds held that 800-miles of 48” pipe together as “one”. I guess after so many years the point well proven, “Unions” hire the “Best” money can buy and thus enjoys maintaining some semblance of control upon the working conditions, like in “safety”! So a repeat of the power yielded by organized labor was to be avoided at all costs with the pipeline going into the “operational” mode. After “Oil In”, hear the word “Union” up and down that “pipeline”, it re-kindled the Bragaw Street “kill the messenger” mandate which brings me to my debut, a secret so well-kept but time to make it part of that Alyeska “History”.
Maybe in a lesson’s learned, as best remember what Colonel Nathan Jessup said in “A Few Good Men” when convicted; “you messed with the wrong Marine” same sentiment rests its case the story I am about to tell as likewise, Alyeska “can’t handle the truth” and “messed with the wrong Technician”. See, I was the “Best” in that “Best of the Best” category, yes bragging rights don’t believe my words just compare my “of record” yearly performance evaluations from Valdez to Pump Station #1 during my career with the “Pipeline People” in the late 70s & 80s through early 90s, no other technician along that 800-miles of pipe would even come close to challenging my well respected “performance”. And remember, such evaluations are what managers in the Alyeska rank and file get away with saying about an individual under their thumb, good to bad! And those documents that form a legal chain claim bear an official Alyeska representative’s signature and become part of the Human Resource’s “paper trail”, so no fake about it. Those documents could be used in any action in a court of law as “Official”! And not to forget time after time of “Above Standard – Employee’s performance exceeds requirements” is how that management rated my work habits for 10-years plus. Just as well as an added benefit in value my credentials, endorsements from the “Owner Company” – that “Big Oil” – from field auditors on loan to make sure Alyeska did it right, commendations from outsiders on my dedication to the “Custody Transfer” obligations undertaken by Alyeska, to make sure the “crude oil” deliveries were accurate when those tankers in Valdez took on a boatload of that Alaskan “crude oil”, that “black gold”. As it was every drop counts because every penny counts even if pound foolish!
Please, show me one other technician that received such masterful evaluations time after time and endorsements in writing by the “Owner Company” representatives and I will stand corrected – that there was not another “Technician” on the Alyeska payroll that could challenge my work habits and work ethics. I doubt you can disprove my ranking by your company’s very own management when all the time they were following the Alyeska Human Resources “evaluation” guidelines! I dare you, as that challenge is already in defeat. I was the “Best” of that “Best of the Best”, let me make it easy don’t waste your time trying to defend any corporate nonsense I was not what I say I was, or what “they” said I was capable of achieving! And as is quoted by the Alyeska management: “Mike has work habits so exceptional they provide a foundation of strength for the entire division. His job contribution is significant to the point of being difficult to evaluate and his capacity for work seems limitless. To list the positive aspects of his job performance is to write personal accolades past the point of embarrassment”(Robert Miller – I &E Supervisor, Valdez Marine Terminal in 9/81). “Mike has the potential to advance far within the company. I would highly recommend Mike for any first-line supervisory position that might become available”(John Runnels - I&E Supervisor, Valdez Marine Terminal in 12/84). “Mike’s technical knowledge is unmatched”(Vern Collins – Pump Station #1 Manager in 1/90). “It must be emphasized that Mike is a top-notch technician that can be relied upon in any situation”(Jerry Laarsguard – Pump Station Supervisor in 1/90). That covered about 10-years of my career. And I would get calls from station managers up and down that pipeline, asking me to relocate my recognized technical abilities to the pumping stations, from managers I did not even know. Sad fact of the matter, those “positive” comments were made when my career was already on thin ice due the internal politics of that shameful Bragaw Street mentality consistent with a “kill the messenger” mandate and I will get to that, as it was a lesson learned, not to “Trust” this Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. and its company a “ship of fools”.
I was transferred to Pump Station #1 in 1985 after a very successful career in Valdez, as the “Lead Technician” for the Instrument & Electrical Department, wherein my “Union” affiliation was the precipice as a game changer upon my career with prejudice, transferred by a company request because the measurement systems up north were in a state of total disrepair, out-of-control for accuracy and reliability, when under the responsibility of the station personnel under the station management of Ken Peacock. That out-of-control was due to “authorized tweaking” that was in essence “cheating by decree” the merits of a reliable measurement system. That “authorized” was condoned by the Alyeska Measurement Department. So when it finally started to ruffle the feathers of the “Owner Company” auditors, time for a change in who would be the lucky party to take over that responsibility. Yes and no doubt about it, such was an embarrassment when someone on the 5th Floor of Bragaw made the decision to take away that “coveted” responsibility from Harold “Fat Alex Two Chairs” Alexander – the Pipeline Superintendent - and place it in the hands of the Pipeline SCADA, under Leon Norman and T. L. Jenne. It meant turning that responsibility over to the “radio flyer men”! And I was talking the internal politics in rivalry that can demonstrate such “embarrassment” or ridicule for that matter that someone was not capable of performing a duty. But that “politics” was dirty-pool stuff, which I tried to stay away from as there was an important job to do and wasting such time with no material outcome was above my pay grade. And yes indeed to reiterate, a system of utmost importance in accountability was out-of-control at Pump Station #1, wherein constant “tweaking” by the station technicians was required for “balancing” the accountability which related to the resource’s rightful ownership. It was that “system” that the oil producers relied upon, so the “Owner Companies” could get that bang for its buck – as that pipeline cost some $8-billion dollars start to finish. And not to forget that “system” was also a primary element in the TAPS “leak detection” and “tweaking” could miss out alarming the authority to a bullet hole piercing the pipe and causing a “leak”, say by a hunter with too much elbow toasting time and a powerful rifle. And low and behold besides the “tweaking”, someone had placed an “RC” snubber device on one of the “Producer’s” flow meters, that basically manipulated the flow-rate signal and “cheated” someone of their oil! I was told that this latter blatant disregard for proper accountability was done because of “cavitation” on the mechanical turbine meters. We had that same problem in Valdez, we did not try to “fake” out things, we instead went to the “root cause” and fixed the problem by controlling the back pressure – that simple! If the “Owner Company” field auditors were still on loan when that Pump Station #1 “Custody Transfer” system went out-of-control due to human intervention – aka “Tweaking” - the fact the flow-meters had been disgraced and this misconduct thus allowed for the miscounting barrels of oil, that kind of activity would be grounds for termination. But the “field auditors” were let go back in 1980, as that oversight was temporary in nature to get the pipeline working as designed during “start-up”. And it cannot work when such “tweaking” and meter manipulation had become a common place task. The “goesouta” did not equal the “goesinta”, so tweaking the Waugh Custody Transfer “flow computers” had become a standard practice, almost an everyday ritual, as once a tweak you end up chasing your tail. And they got caught! They were caught “red-handed” and something I witnessed my first shift at site and was told it was condoned by the manager of the “Pipeline Measurement Department” and blessed by the “Oil Movements” supervisor! Wow, Dirty Harry hands in the cookie jar. And at the time of this challenge to SCADA taking over the most critical element of the pipeline, based on the “Owner Company” mandate “if you can’t measure it don’t pump it”, Fairbanks did not have the required technical expertise to perform such a critical undertaking and it was at the same time the “hatchet-men” were trying to break up the “Union” interests in Valdez – so it was an easy out transfer for myself as many of us were then considered outcasts for trying to form a “Union” and in retaliation the company “goons” thought it best to dismember the “Union” interest, by moving people around. As things were getting mighty ugly in Valdez, when that “hatchet” was targeting the workers, to break-up the “Union” interests. To be clear, the interest of a “Union” was not born out of a concern over our wages and/or working conditions, Alyeska had the best pay grades in the Alaskan oil business and working conditions second to none. It was due to the fact some of us were sick and tired of being known accomplices to the binge drinking careers of the tanker crews that sailed into Valdez for that “crude oil”. We were demanded, as a condition of continued employment, to assist that influence. Hey, when the boss says do something don’t want to get hit with an insubordination credit, especially if climbing that technician ladder for more pay! That said, it was only out of frustration and nowhere else to turn for help on that issue of the “drunks” that the workers in Valdez entertained joining a “Union”. But we lost, because Alyeska did everything in its power to STOP that organized labor activity – and with that win an EXXON Valdez “wreck” was inevitable. So I was invited to transfer, out of the “Union” hornet’s nest in Valdez then into the other hornet’s nest – the “Custody Transfer” nightmare at Pump Station #1. And for what I would find out what was going on, that which rendered the reliability of the “Custody Transfer” questionable, well it appeared this inebriation to violate common sense was systemic and not just a virtue of the tanker crew pirates.
See, there came an all-out effort to “kill the messenger” that which was designed to target a handful of dedicated workers in Valdez, when the Instrumentation and Electrical maintenance staff sought representation from a “Union” due the fact we went sick and tired of being called upon to perform…well we were accomplices to that crime of allowing drunk tanker captains to report to the helm and drive away that “crude oil” tanker under-the-influence Like Joe Hazelwood, to sneak aboard his EXXON Valdez tanker after sneaking through the Alyeska Dayville Road Security Checkpoint, because Chief Wellington turned a blind eye on the alcohol habits. Yes, allowed back to those tankers unescorted smelling of booze and carrying more booze as contraband, for that joy-ride sail home.
This being an “accomplice” - to what did eventually become the catalyst to an environmental crime of the century - and this “assistance” because the drunks could not walk the causeway and gang-way plank without help, it was not part of our “job description”. And there were many Captain Joes! But because I was the “Lead Technician” and had a company PU, I was always called upon to help the drunked up bastards when they arrived back to the “Valdez Marine Terminal” after an all-night bender in town, while on shore-leave furlough as their tanker was filled to the brim with toxic crude oil.
And when that “Union” activity was found out about, the Bragaw Street “war room” went into effect and said “kill it". And I was singled out and placed on the Kathy Carr Human Resources “watch list”, labeled as a “Vocal Union Supporter” and spied upon for that activity even after I was transferred north! Yes, HR was monitoring my “Union” voice, I know that because Carr said it was so in an e-mail that went outside its intended audience and ended up in my possession. Basically speaking, that “watch list” was a “hit list” that would make sure some of the dedicated workers that had a desire to STOP the drunks being allowed to roam about on what was supposed to be a secure site with “FBI WARNING” signs, in a town TAXI, workers dedicated to STOP an environmental nightmare from ever occurring not as an accident but a DUI incident, we were targeted!
With the Bragaw Street mentality, fighting away the wishes of a “Union” found more favor then stopping the drunks! Funny, how one time at Sunday church during the brotherly love “peace” offering, behind me was seated that Kathy Carr and company VP Theo Polasek, reaching out to me and my family to extend that “peace” hand-shake - wow! Then on Monday it was back to the corporate “back-stabbing”. Now in my case, due what was becoming an ugly and unsafe state-of-affairs at the Alyeska Marine Terminal with the “Union” busting, it meant moving away from Valdez. Yes indeed, when Alyeska decided to “kill the messenger” by “castrating” the Union support, we did take up arms and headed into town to confront the tanker crews binge drinking at the Pipeline Club. It was after work one day when we assembled out at the Blueberry Lake campground with several cases of beer and in realization maybe a shoot-out in town would get the message through. No not like a McCarthy like massacre, as our mission had a purpose in the “blood-shed” category, like when the railroad men protected the Healy Roadhouse against the Hell’s Angels! Look, drunks were behind the wheel-house of tankers full of crude oil, drunks driving through our wilderness back yards wherein we fished! Where we were raising our families! If Alyeska was afraid to do something about that problem child and was now targeting the workers instead of the drunks, well we loaded up our brown bear protection 12-guage sawed-off shotguns and started that drive to town to confront the bastards! The only thing that stopped it, the fact I was good friends with the Valdez Chief-of-Police, who had a detail watching what was going on and talked some sense into our last-ditch effort approach. Valdez was a small town, the word gets around!
So maybe a move away from Valdez was in order, get away from this “Union” stuff, as it was causing a disconnect between the workers and the management and that cannot have a happy ending. What was once a very professional atmosphere with professional attitudes at the “END” of the pipeline, it was on thin ice. And I was just too valuable a technician, Alyeska needed my expertise still, so I was not forced to quit “yet” by insults to my employment status - as my performance remained top-notch so there could be no disciplinary action based on that “Union” activity, but I did not realize that the “hit list” was in force, even many years after the “Union” activity was quashed. Hey, if they cannot get to you by your character, they’ll find another way around it. Yes, call it “branded”. It meant a job with a paycheck without a future nothing more. Still don’t believe me, well fast forward to 1991, after I was denied a promotion and denied another promotion as then that Kathy Carr(who maintained the Union activity hit-list) admitted to then Alyeska President James B. Hermiller; “Mike was involved in a situation at PS#1 over metering that involved schedules, promotional opportunity etc that in retrospective probably was not handled well. But that was ultimately resolved.” “Ultimately Resolved”? I quit and this was a BS cover-your-ass tactic by the Union Busting HR! More lies! But before it became a lost cause, in meaning once on the secret “hit-list” there is no career, I continued to be the “Best” in that “Best of the Best”, even after we failed to get representation that would have at least listened to the concern of being demanded to assist the drunks getting ready to drive a crude oil carrying tanker through the Valdez “narrows”. Maybe some encouraging sign in recourse had we been successful at getting a Union with a foot in the door, that we could refuse and then defuse that “being an accomplice” request and it would have meant the EXXON Valdez “wreck” would have remained a “worst case” desk top scenario only mess. It would never have happened, as with a “Union” we would have been allowed to say NO and then the drunks would have been stranded and not able to get back to their tankers, as the berth loading causeways were off limits to any access except for the Alyeska workers, and allowed upon only with a “permit” due to (3) hazards being ever present, over-water conditions and crude oil pipelines and high-voltage electrical lines, the reason the town taxi was not allowed to drive on those causeways to deliver the drunks back to their floating sober up bunks. Said again, we were instructed by “upper management” to help the drunk bastards and even when we complained, we were told it goes with the territory. Had we been successful with that “Union” it would have placed a STOP on that bad habit drinking, as then the tanker crews would have been confined to their tanker’s bunkhouse during the crude oil loading duration – as it only required about 12-hours de-ballasting to crude oil loading. Stay on board, get some sleep, clean up oil or shine the engine block! Damn, write a letter to Santa, just up the road in North Pole, Alaska! But no, someone wanted that binge drinking to carry on unabated and Alyeska’s management was there to assist those efforts and we saw a disaster in the making, especially as the TAPS throughput was ramping up as that meant increased tanker traffic which equates to less oversight.
But at first take, Alyeska’s Union busting efforts tried to disassemble the “Vocal Union Supporters”, those that were opposed to helping the drunk tanker crews, individuals like myself that held no fear being out-spoken about it. Yes, there was a snitch amongst us that was handing over information to the management about our after-work “Union” activities, giving away the name with rank and serial number of the coordinators promoting this must have much needed effort for outside interfering representation. It was a last-ditch effort, so yes we were very vocal about our concerns that had so far fell on deaf ears with the Alyeska executive management in charge. The company movement to “bust” our efforts to “unionize” the Valdez workforce came about through the age-old concept of conquer by dividing, as some of us were sent to work up on the “Hill” when the Instrument & Electrical divisions were cut in half, wherein the vocal ones like myself would never be involved with the tanker loading berth operations again, in an out-of-sight out-of-mind mentality. Yes, re-deploy the workers, get the complainers away from the situation with the drunks and all will be well as the non-complainers will “do as I say” because all some cared about was that paycheck and afraid to make waves. And that is exactly what happened and in time this strategy made the EXXON Valdez famous! Get what I am saying, we tried to STOP that on-the-job inebriation back in the early 80s, Joe Hazelwood wrecked his ship in 1989! That is what happens when the focus is taken away from the “root cause” problem, as when Alyeska was successful in stopping the “Union” it reinforced the drinking habits of the tanker crews that then realized there was no concern, like it was an allowed benefit – cheers! Now during this redistricting and attempt at disassociating the “Union” supporters away from the drunks herein as an example in lackadaisical priorities, in 1983 I was once called away from a problem with the electrical power going down across the entire “Terminal”. Which was critical for things like the “Vapor Recovery” working to eliminate pollution from the storage of 9-million barrels of North Slope “crude oil”. The lights were out, but was told by the Power House supervisor, who through the “Union” busting had become my “boss”, well to drop what I was doing and assist the Marine supervisor, as the drunks were a priority even for some of us that had been purposedly taken out of that hornet’s nest! When push comes to shove, as the tanker traffic jams were then a common every day occurrence – all hands on deck. Yes indeed, told to use my Alyeska PU as a sober up taxi, a priority over the proper functionality of the massive “Valdez Marine Terminal’s” electrical grid, when highly volatile toxic waste gas went boiling off the crude oil in the storage tanks due lack of electricity to control the removal and abatement process, uncontrolled releases to the atmosphere until the power was restored. That was the management’s priority, the drunks, as it was a time with traffic jams at the loading berths due to increased pipeline throughput, so everything to accommodate getting that oil headed south! Get the drunks back behind the helm of those Alaskan trade tankers so that crude oil could be delivered to the “Owner Company” refineries on the West Coast - for making $money$. So what a little pollution! It was all about the cash register, a well-respected environment was like a traffic light to Paul Pelosi, just a suggestion! Don’t believe me, then take a trip out into Prince William Sound and dig up some clams on Green Island, the EXXON Valdez oil surrounds still. More then likely after Alyeska went successful in annihilating the “Union” drive effort in spirit, that it dropped all tendencies to try and get the tanker crew inebriation under control.
So I could see the writing on the wall, but did not give up hope, that even though we tried our best to STOP the “drunks”, well sad to say no one was listening – not even the local environmental oversight police that worked for the State of Alaska and stationed in Valdez, an entity equipped with a “Hot Line” exchange! “Got an Environmental Problem” call Dan the Man! But they did not want to get involved even when we encouraged such involvement! Yes, we called the cops on ourselves, but when they showed up and we tried to point to the scene of the crime, they pulled out their blinders. Why so, afraid of “Big Oil” and in realization that a call from Juneau could be the end of their career at a cushion job that paid very well, as the State of Alaska was rich due its ownership of “Royalty Oil” and state worker wages were very handsome – like don’t rock the boat.
For myself, getting out of Dodge was the only thing left to do, as I had a family to feed. And someone was going to get hurt, as we had decided on more then one occasion to confront the bastard drunks at the local watering hole that had become a second home for the tanker crews, when we were off the work clock - but figured that was too risky an ordeal in such a small town like Valdez. So it was time to move away from a situation no one in Alyeska was willing to take a stand against. But for myself, not in realization that I was then on the HR “watch list - hit list” and there would be no career advancements, use me then abuse my career was all that was left for the future my employment with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. “Dedication”? The concept of doing a good job finds rewards – that was pure bull-shat with the Alyeska “Union” busting. The “Union” effort was successfully condemned, along with it the “Vocal Union Supporters” either relocated or forced to quit. And guess what, that “black-listing” was distributed to the “Owner Company” affiliates, so in Alaska wherein “Oil is King”, one could be screwed over in finding gainful employment, especially if a “Union” advocate. It was a ways and means to instill fear, keep your mouth shut we own you or else – just like the days of old with the railroads. See, Alyeska needed my expertise – use me then abuse my career was what was in store for my respect for the environment and disrespect for drunk sailors.
My expertise was needed when SCADA was called upon to take over the “Custody Transfer” at Pump Station #1, as that system was designed to accurately register the Producer’s “Incoming Oil” for accountability, it means that $money$ thing – it is that $cash register$! So I had my work cut-out, and it was planned to use my expertise at a very critical time in the history of the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline. It was the time that the maximum throughput was the goal and that meant getting the systems back up to specifications, along with the commissioning duties of the Lisburne and Endicott systems soon to come on stream to deliver even more “crude oil” and then busy myself even more with the upgrades to the SOHIO and ARCO and Kuparuk measurement systems. It meant (2) new producers coming on-line from the North Slope oil fields and at the same time re-establish the accurate accounting for the original producers. Said again, it deals with the legal ownership of that “crude oil” the reason accuracy is tantamount to that oversight. No other system on the TAPS received as much scrutiny as the “Custody Transfer”. At the same time, I was placed in the position to cross-train a dedicated team of (4) technicians so the station under Vern Collins could in time then take back that responsibility. Like I have already mentioned, to have the responsibility of the most critical system on the TAPS taken away from a supervisor because of lack of oversight, that is not a career building opportunity let alone the embarrassment factor with peers, so in time all efforts would be tried to get that responsibility back to its rightful authority, the Pipeline instead of SCADA. By the “books”, it was NOT a SCADA function, it was a territorial thing.
When I arrived on the scene, hostilities welcomed my presence, like I was an outsider invading someone’s domain. This disrespect came not from station personnel, but the management and those individuals that thought they were the experts in this “measurement accountability” ordeal, like those that worked for the Oil Measurement Department. Rather chilling, as it was the same company with the same “mission”. As a matter of fact, once again not what I say but what they said when I met the challenge and was able to get the “Custody Transfer” systems back up to specifications: “Your excellent background and experience in measurement maintenance enabled you to assume responsibility for measurement activities at Pump Station 1 with only location familiarization required”(Leon Norman - SCADA Pipeline Supervisor, 11/86). OK, it means I was shown where my bunk was, that was about it but stood the challenge and was successful. And soon, the station personnel respected my position and the rest was history, we got the job done. In all my “performance appraisals” to date that were “Above Expectations”, there were always kinds words of encouragement that I was a pleasure to work with, the reason things started working well when I arrived at Pump Station #1. The station technicians soon realized I was there to help them, to make their job easier. Within a few years with the equipment updated and taking the time to educate the local technicians on what it was all about, Alyeska ended up with the “envy” of a system that could reliably account for every barrel of oil sent down that Alaskan pipeline. It wasn’t always so, not when the “tweaking” was allowed. But during this time wherein I was doing my job and performing as usual and still “exceeding expectation”, still receiving unprecedented “Commendation(s) for Excellent Performance”, I had been denied several promotions with respect to that “Custody Transfer” criteria, wherein individuals with far less experience were promoted ahead of my desires. The oversight was growing with more and more producers coming on-line, which related to the head-count of required staff needed to fulfill the duty also on the increase, which meant the Measurement Department was growing and that meant openings, career opportunities with pay grade advancements. For some reason, I was passed over, conveniently excluded, yet at the same time provided Alyeska the foundation for success in its endeavors to make sure the “Custody Transfer” system was reliable and accurate. I had taken on many more responsibilities when transferred to Pump Station #1, yet my pay grade remained the same. I was maxed out for the Technician ranking, so only a promotion would advance my career with respect to a wage and a future career with meaning. It was not happening! Said again, I was “black-listed” and remained so naïve in thinking Alyeska cared about my future.
When I was transferred to Pump Station #1 and discovered serious problems in the way the “Custody Transfer” system was being maintained, or lack of because “tweaking” had become the routine to falsely balance the equation in great expectations and something that appeared to be a coordinated effort between the Pump Station management and the Oil Movements & Measurement Division’s supervision, I was able to get things back to normal and steadfast that what you see is what you get it meets the design criteria – which meant NO TWEAKING ALLOWED keep your mitts away. That did take some time, but as dedicated as I always was, I did the job. And when the oversight of the “Custody Transfer” had been thrown into the lap of the SCADA Department, there was “zero” transition when I arrived on site – like the local management was pissed that an outside entity had to be sent in to bail things out. Of interest, one of those letters of “Commendation” came about in 1986 because I had discovered some serious measurement issues when I was invited to the commissioning of the “Lisburne Custody Transfer Skid” and at the time the Kuparuk River Unit was using the same kind of system, the reason that system was being “tweaked”. Funny, that the “Measurement Department” experts that were also at the manufacturer’s headquarters to witness the testing and commissioning of the “Lisburne” system had packed up and already gone back home to Anchorage, when I was just starting to have reservations about some serious problems. In the end, I was right and was given praise for my efforts: “Your talents and dedication were especially visible during the initial testing and subsequent improvements to the Lisburne Metering Module. It is quite evident that several questionable situations developed during the initial testing of this module. Your recognition of these situations and the ability to communicate your concerns brought about several days of detailed testing by SCADA personnel. In the final analysis it is your technical expertise and personnel dedication which has ensured that we are ready to support oil in. Thanks you for a job well done”(Leon Norman – SCADA Pipeline Manager, 11/86). Said again, the “Measurement Department” experts had signed off that the system did meet expectations, they had no idea what they were talking about. That is the reason that “tweaking” finds its way into the equation, call it stupidity the shoe fits and the Alyeska “Measurement Department” wore it well. This is what I was up against, stupidity with individuals that were promoted over my interests to advance their careers in the company. I was “black-listed”!
So in the 1990 timeframe when it appeared that I had performed my duties and the time would soon come wherein a dedicated crew was up to speed and could take over the responsibilities that go along with that “Custody Transfer” obligation, well my worst nightmare would come true. There was nothing in store for this guy who had devoted so much in undivided attention and dedication to making sure the accuracy in crude oil measurement was maintained above standards, because I was targeted by that HR “hit list” for being a “Vocal Union Supporter” and sad fact of the matter, I was right the burden that would carry along to sabotage my career, my livelihood. Had I known this would be the outcome, just because I tried in vain to get someone to listen to concerns over a blatant disregard that allowed drinking on the job, I would have quit this company a long time ago and never entertained letting it use me for my expertise. I still feel guilty today, that maybe I did not do enough, that we did not try enough, as that inevitable became a reality the night Joe went “Hard Aground” on Bligh Reef. Funny, as every kid in the Valdez kindergarten learns all about that rock as a well-known “hazard”, even before Joe’s wet-dream came true. Maybe that shoot-out we came so close to engaging in with them drunk tanker crews, it was not a bad idea and too bad we were talked out of it!
In the end, here is what was said about my trials and tribulations: “Michael is responsible for maintaining the oil measurement equipment at Pump Station #1. His concern for accuracy and quality maintenance has been completely demonstrated. He has been contacted by Owner Company representatives, auditors and manufacturers for his counsel on Oil Measurements. He has met these contacts with skillful approach which has significantly contributed to the respect of Alyeska in Oil Measurement. As a Level VI I can offer no suggestions for improvements or development”(Leon Norman – Pipeline SCADA Supervisor, 1/90). Need I say more? No room for improvement, hope that sets it straight, there was never a better technician employed by Alyeska then Mike Kelley. But this is wherein Mr. Norman was setting the stage for me to be transferred away from the “Custody Transfer” because the Pipeline Superintendent was on the move to take back that responsibility that had been taken away from him, for not performing and letting those under hie guidance “tweak” the accuracy to meaningless. I was approached by Harold Alexander on more then one occasion, as he forever wanted me to switch hats, he wanted me to transfer away from SCADA and become a Pipeline Technician, but there was nothing in it for me, just a blatant request for his own selfish image with nothing gained for my position of change in consideration. At the same time he was doing everything in his “superintendent power and position” to find a safe haven for his son, who was also a technician that had an excuse for every-time it meant getting his hands dirty – he was Daddy “Two Chairs” little boy. Yes, that nepotism thing and the sad fact of the matter, I started my career with Alyeska at the same time sonny boy came on board and by now I had “zero” promotions to brag about and…well we lost count how many promotions nepotism created and chalked up as just another failure for that executive’s son that should have been shown the door to the unemployment line! I was well acquainted with sonny boy Chris, as when we showed up for “Basic Training” back in 1979 as “New Hires”, he refused to share a room with an Alaskan Native. He should have been fired on the spot to have the gall to show off such prejudice in front of others, but at the time none of the newbies understood who he was. So something wasn’t righteous in the way Alyeska issued out promotions. I would be evidence of that, even though I held up my side of the deal and was hoping for a promotion after the “Custody Transfer” job had been done. Which would never occur due the “black-list” which continued on well after the company challenged the efforts of the “Union” drive and due its influence with the government regulators through powerful members of Congress, well “Big Oil” wins all the time.
Herein is a good bookmark time I must back track. Early on in this broadcast I mentioned that in the routine “tweaking” discovered at Pump Station #1 on the “Custody Transfer”, that someone had applied a “snubber” network to the Kuparuk River “accounting system”, on the flow meters that measure that “crude oil” for allocation purposes, for that rightful ownership criteria. See, accuracy is paramount as there is but for a single pipeline that can take that valuable crude oil south, so it can be exported to the West Coast refineries so Americans can have cheap motor gasoline without “oil embargo” waiting lines, like was seen in the early 70s and was the reason the TAPS was designed and built in the first place. So due the fact the oil is commingled, accuracy is paramount. What a producer puts into the pipeline is not necessarily what one gets back out down in Valdez when that tanker of drunk crew members shows up to take over the oil ownership, so accuracy is paramount getting as close as possible the “True” ownership, which requires a whole lot of bells & whistles. But without “tweaking”! That “snubber” was eventually removed after extensive testing that found an approach that begs to mention (2) things. The people in charge before SCADA, before I was given the responsibility for the “Custody Transfer” at Pump Station #1, they had no idea what they were doing. On second thought, pure unadulterated “stupidity” in practice. See, as mentioned already how I encouraged confidence building by engaging with the “Owner Company Auditors”, there was one particular “auditor” that I came to appreciate and affiliate with on a regular basis when assigned at Pump Station #1. He was the “field auditor” for the Kuparuk River Unit and when we first met, before I was made aware of that “snubber”, he would always enter a laugh into the conversation that the ownership receipts from PS#1 for his company’s crude oil were better then what his own “Custody Transfer” system would record, for the same damn delivery. Rather strange, as if the glove was on the other foot and the imbalance was of a negative consequence for that producer, meaning less oil then delivered, there would be no Mr. Nice Guy approach. As an “auditor” he would have been heard and the problem rectified ASAP and there would have been a recalculation to re-up any deficiencies in that “ownership accountability”. So that laugh was in retrospect that a particular producer was getting a bigger bang for his buck – getting more oil then delivered. So that set my curiosity on fire. And when it was discovered what may be causing this “freebee”, well one does just not remove something no one was staking a claim upon. See, it would have to be done only after permission, to remove that stubborn “snubber” network, as the time element would dictate a reconciliation. Someone was getting “cheated”! So it meant testing, to see why in what for that device was placed on the gas pedal. And the only thing I found in conclusion in reaching an understanding upon why so this un-necessary addition of an electronic filter, well it was nonsense why anybody in their right mind would think of such a…it was another way for “tweaking” the merits of what was supposed to be an accurate measurement system – it was not with all this unauthorized “tweaking”. And this “snubber” would not do anything for the phenomenon of “cavitation”, the only reason I was given to that device in existence and not part of the “Custody Transfer” system as designed. Matter of fact through testing, what this simple “resistor capacitor” network was doing, it was allowing noise spikes - which is indicative of cavitation - well those spikes were given a new life and being amplified as valid flow, so the reason it allowed for the accounting of more oil out then oil in, suspicious it was as the “Custody Transfer” systems between the Kuparuk River Unit and not under Alyeska purview and the Alyeska system, they were identical and with a short segment of pipeline in between, the balance should have been ”Zero”. It wasn’t because someone in their infinite wisdom thought it was a solution to a problem – it wasn’t but that auditor sure enjoyed the fact his company was getting ownership of more oil then what was transported. That is what goes on when there are too many irons in the fire and no one knows “who’s on first?”. But when the Kuparuk River Unit “Custody Transfer” was upgraded, then the balance did zero out the way it was supposed to work and gave greater resolution for that pipeline’s leak detection. What it means, well someone got shorted in the “big picture” show when the over & shorts went calculated! Some producer out there lost ownership of its crude oil while another gained some valuable assets from a “ghost”. Maybe it was the State of Alaska that suffered the burden of less crude oil, which means less royalty $bucks$ collected for the State’s Treasury.
Now when I realized that it would soon be over, after several years in dedication at Pump Station #1 and making sure the crude oil measurement in accuracy was maintained and defiant that on my watch there would be “No Tweaking”, well not so fast a bail out. I decided two can play the game. See, in my role as the “Lead Technician” and at the time training a dedicated crew and at the same time overseeing the obligation of accurate accountability required in the “Custody Transfer” with over 2-million barrels of “crude oil” each and every day moving through that pipeline, well I had it so under control that my job was way too easy. I was an expert, so this stuff came very easy and the reason I could train other technicians that would soon take over my job. Now I knew that the “specialty” position I was in with no pay increases comparable to what I was tasked to accomplish, it would end. But was told that I was in line for a promotion, in the SCADA Department in Fairbanks, as a supervisor. So that was a good thing to be made aware of, and at the time I had no hesitations believing what I was being told – continue to do a good job and there will be rewards. And all the indications through “performance appraisals” and “Commendation Letters”, well it should stand the test of time that there was…boy was I wrong!
Now because I had chosen a well-respected team of dedicated technicians to administer that obligation in oversight of the “Custody Transfer”, the job would be completed and as usual meet the criteria of “Above Expectations”. So that time came about, as by now all the old “flow computers” had been replaced and the systems commissioned as well as the new producers coming on-line a done deal – the “Custody Transfer” system was unmatched with respect to its reliable accounting of every damn barrel of “crude oil” that came through Pump Station #1 – with NO TWEAKING allowed. That system at that time was the pride & joy of the “Custody Transfer” world, as field auditors would call on me for advice and advise. And I made damn sure that there was no interference by the Bragaw Street clowns that showed up with neck ties trying to tell me my business just to justify their positions – what that was still questionable. To force “tweak” a balance that is not reproducible through calculations is “cheating”, because it was just some random craze without justification as nothing is perfect or for that matter warranted as there is no such thing as an ultimate system due one too many interfering variables. That “cheating”, it was done so to make that feather in the cap and justify someone’s position, pure bull-shit and it would not happen on my watch! As I still had the SCADA management by my side, so when the politics went out-of-control by demands from idiots not having the slightest idea what they were promoting just to look and sound good with an audience…hope you get the point.
But all good things come to that end, as when I did my job and performed my duties diligently and everyone was happy with how things were working, it was time to begin the transition wherein the “Custody Transfer” would be transferred back to the Pump Station personnel, like it used to be before things were “tweaked” out-of-control. And that is wherein it started to look and smell and feel “ugly” all over again, that I had been used even more. When this started to come about, I then had no idea who I was assigned to work for and nobody could provide an honest answer to that question of who I reported to, it was insulting. Was I assigned to SCADA or was it the Pipeline? And with the politics involved, it was rather confusing. Not to forget the fact I balked at transferring my abilities by refusing to become a Pump Station Technician at the pipeline management’s whim, that I wasn’t! I was a well-qualified SCADA and Instrument & Electrical Technician that understood the concepts of “Custody Transfer” and accurate flow measurement above and beyond the staff that worked for the “Measurement Department”. Yes, light-years ahead. Was I a threat to that department’s incompetence, YES! And no longer was I being considered for that supervisory job in Fairbanks, as someone was pulling strings to grab that position from under me and in doing so was throwing my career under the bus. And then it started all over again, when those that were promoted over me started to demand the station technicians now in control of the “Custody Transfer”, once again on a chase-your-tail scenario with “tweaking” things so they could then get a feather in their hat when they cuddled up to the executives at Bragaw Street, well it did not sit too well. But it was during the time wherein Leon Norman no longer maintained control of SCADA, which meant I had no one to protect my future, as it was Morgan Henry that was calling the shots. And when I complained that some questionable “tweaking” was going on again and promoted by the Measurement Department personnel, Henry did not want to deal with it as he was more concerned with his own selfish corporate ladder climbing. It was déjà vu all over again, like when I raised concerns in Valdez. So what was my sentiment, as if that “tweaking” could go on by some idiot from town, by passing a “correction factor” to the station personnel on a yellow sticky note so it is NOT of record, well two can play that game. It was once again wherein a perfectly good system of accountability would be forced to perform in limbo, as a ways and means to force balance things, as someone in their infinite wisdom thought that there should be a zero balance between Pump Station #1 and Valdez, that was an impossibility. There had come pressure that the “Pipeline Leak detection” was inferior and a primary element into that detection was the “Custody Transfer” numbers, and if not a “zero balance”, which I will reiterate could not be so in an imperfect world, well it was causing a headache to Alyeska and the regulators. See, there is a feeder pipeline from TAPS to a refinery in North Pole, Alaska. It takes Alaska crude oil out of the pipeline, skims the gasoline cut off the oil and sends back into the same damn pipeline what is called “reduced crude oil”. And guess what, I designed the damn system for that accountability and know damn well that a zero balance was an impossibility – so what if that “normal world” imbalance was a stranglehold on a valid pipeline leak detection system – please find some real engineers that know what in hell it means and can deal with it! Thus it would be only a matter of time wherein the station personnel would be chasing their tail, with a new “tweak factor”. See, with the “Custody Transfer” systems updated away from analog computers to digital hi-tech devices, all that was now required was a “sticky note” or a phone call telling someone how to zero out any imbalance deficiencies. So it was now an easier thing to do then ever before, as it meant a simple keyboard entry. And guess what, every time a correction factor was entered, and now with 5 separate systems to choose from wherein to hide this “tweaking” and hide the “missing oil factor” or in some cases the “magic miracle barrel”, well it means some producer is shorted ownership of oil while another gains. It is called “cheating”, but since Alyeska was not a “Producer” the company did not give rat’s ass about a little tweaking here and a little tweaking there, just to look good to the “Owner Company” and a way to fool the regulators that the “Leak Detection” was working. It was unacceptable behavior no different then the Joe Hazelwoods, it was not necessary but by this time in the game, I was being sidelined. They used me, so I welcomed their interest in messing up a system once again! The EXXON Valdez became a reality, because Alyeska allowed that drinking habit to continue on unabated, so what if that pipe springs a leak and the “detection” system fails, it is all in the same polluted “mindset”!
But in hindsight, I knew this would happen as things were starting to fall apart and I had less regard for my job. Now because of my duty to train a new crew, I had free reign to do just about anything I damn well pleased with respect to the “Custody Transfer” at Pump Station #1. Once again, not as I say but what they said: “Mike was transferred from the SCADA dept. to the Pipeline Operations Dept. and was assigned the responsibility of Lead Technician for measurement maintenance. In this position he has the responsibility to train the other measurement technicians. Mike was not happy about this assignment. His tendency is to avoid supervision and establish his own work requirements and priorities. Mike is a top-notch technician that can be relied upon in any situation and with the responsibilities of Lead Technician come broader responsibilities to training and organizational effectiveness”(Jerry Laarsguard – Pump Station Supervisor, 1/90). Imagine a supervisor admitting that he had no control over my work habits, that I set my own conditions of continued employment, this is a typical Alyeska management response no different then what we heard in Valdez when we confronted the management over the drunk tanker crews. If a supervisor loses control of his employees, best find a new job for such a failure. And it appears that Alyeska did lose control over the drunk tanker crews. And in that statement above by my new boss, what is missing is the fact it was a “forced transfer” so of course I was not happy with it, as there was nothing in this move for me, it was selfishness with Alyeska taking advantage of my expertise and the fact I was “black-listed” and needed a job! Yes, and greater responsibilities, but no gains! OK, so I was basically my own boss, could go take a nap anytime as everything was under-control – accept the “tweaking” thing by idiots that were promoted over me. Yes, by the early 90s the “tweaking” was once again becoming a common-place thing to accommodate the pipeline’s “leak detection” criteria and the Pump Station management was back in that mode “we do as they say” and would never confront the idiots. Yet another reason why that sentiment I “was unhappy” finds meaning, as the idiots were about to screw things up once again as that was the “Measurement Department’s” MO! And by this time, neither was I concerned, it was not worth the time and effort to try and educate or communicate with idiots from town. I learned that when Joe Hazelwood crashed his tanker, after an all-night bender at the Pipeline Club in Valdez – we knew it would happen and it did, even though we tried to do everything in our workingman’s power to STOP it! And the hierarchy within Alyeska with the rank and file, the pump station management was just following orders with this “sticky note” tweaking affair. And while still in an oversight role, I was not instructed on a daily basis for any work tasks, as long as the oil delivery accounting was sound, so it meant drinking a whole lot of coffee. Things were starting to fall apart as with this “forced transfer” one leg was already under the bus and bones being crushed, just a matter of time I would be forced to quit even if it meant limping away. So what, as I could look myself in the mirror in realization I was the “BEST” and so started planning my resignation from Alyeska. Basically speaking, I was baby-sitting the system, to make sure the new team was doing things right and the dedicated team of station measurement technicians had someone to compel to answer their questions, when a piece of the puzzle did not fit – and the tweaking continued but by this time I did not give a rat’s ass about it and was not about to spend any time getting excited about it as that would only lead to more frustration. But when the Kuparuk River Unit, which before when the “tweaking” was going on always saw a “positive” NET outcome with the crude oil “ownership receipts” but was now and then seeing a “negative”, because it all depended on how that “fudge factor” was applied and enjoyed by all, that field auditor was rather perplexed, in a good way as he knew for years that “freebie” was not supposed to be. But he understood my position and instead started bothering the town folks, because I informed him about that new “sticky note” thing, more “tweaking” and was the station management pissed at me for spilling the “beans” to an “Owner Company” representative! Like was stated: “Mike was not happy and expressed several issues to individuals outside of Pump One, but not to local supervision.” And when I saw issues with the “Custody Transfer” systems, I said to myself, let the “townies” figure it. Bottomline, had I been promoted, this “tweaking would have been met with a vengeance “cease and desist” as it was not necessary! It was like the idiots in charge needed something to justify their positions. Like I have said, it was déjà vu all over again and I realized then that my time was limited, as how can one accomplish a job when “dishonesty” is an over-riding factor? And with that Henry guy taking the job in Fairbanks I thought was once reserved for my career, it was done with as the “black-listing” lived on. I was being squeezed out, no doubt about it the company used me and in the end wanted to abuse me, but I can fight back!
So when out and about my do nothing job for the duration of my soon to end career, maybe due boredom, I came across this novel concept, that if the Measurement Department saw it fit after all the hard work wherein I was able to eliminate any unnecessary “tweaking”, well what was wrong with playing the same game? And just to look good, it was a “cheating heart attitude” of “tweaking” the accountability of the ownership of that “crude oil”. Your damn right, as I had finally coped a don’t give a rat’s ass attitude. See, one day as I was checking the 24-hour composite sampler canister for one of the Producers, well I spilled a cup of coffee and some of it went into the container. Wow, it mixed well with the crude oil sample that had already been captured so far in the day, I mean the same color and I found myself laughing my ass off – like in “who would know the difference”, report it no way! And this “sample” is analyzed every 24-hours to test the water content, with (5) like sampling cannisters for the different producing streams entering Pump Station #1 as the measured water content from the composite sample is cut from the crude oil measured, in an after the fact adjustment. The “composite sample” was a bite-by-bite snap-shot of what went through the pipeline in that 24-hour accounting period. Every mid-night hour it started all over again, it was the “Gospel”. And when the lab would test that sample, the discovered water content was a valid representation of what was in that “crude oil” and an adjustment would be made - to take away the water content volume from the “crude oil” measured. So that the “Custody Transfer” recipes – the “ownership” - was for “crude oil” only, as the meters that measure the oil cannot differentiate between oil and water. It was considered a “True Up”. So the composite sample is a very critical piece of the “crude oil ownership accounting” puzzle, it finishes off the day, with the water content being used to extract non-worthy volume barrels of water away from the “Custody Transfer” computerized receipts, as no one makes any money for “water”. It was by far the most critical element in this most critical of systems designed to register “ownership” as that “chain” would start here and end up in Valdez, wherein that “ownership” was then sent off to markets to make $money$ and lots of it. So why not mess with the sample cannisters, like in a steal from Peter to pay Paul a little spilled coffee here and a little spilled coffee there might go a long way, right into the cannisters, that sort of “Goodfellas” thing. Wow, and I was on to something that was not “reconcilable”! And wow, it was like taking candy from a baby, adding water in the form of coffee to discredit the entire merits of accountability! Like a new-found friend and when I would daily check the sampler canisters, as it was my only job and find that for some reason the volume so far was low but still within limits for the daily sample, due to the “tweaking” was now causing a lower then normal “flowrate” which coordinates the sample interval, I would adjust the volume with “PLQ coffee”. PLQ? That is the “Permanent Living Quarters” wherein I spent most of my time, as I did not really have a job, just a baby-sitter and a coffee pot was my friend! And this went on for many months, and of course it messed up the lab results when it came to the BS&W – Basic Sediment & Water! See, with coffee even in small amounts that would be undetectable that someone was sabotaging things, sulfur was present and the oil analysis’ worst enemy. Basically speaking, Alyeska can never claim that what was measured as oil and delivered as oil on official receipts is accurate – from the “yellow sticky note” correction factors to the composite samplers sabotaged, in the time period I was contributing coffee to my “Great Escape” cause.
Now when I was finally sent out to pasture after doing my job of training a well-qualified team to maintain the “Custody Transfer”, my reward was sickening. Of course, I had already done something that would ruin the Alyeska “Custody Transfer” image for good, once it was discovered – it could not be anything less as I was an expert and understood how to conceal it. And the only way possible to detect this sabotage was now, as I finally can come to grips that I purposedly messed with the system and time to tell that story. And like I said with honor, it was something that could not be “reconciled” to a condition of any semblance of accuracy. GOOD LUCK Alyeska! So I was so glad that I contaminated the composite samples beyond recognition, with the addition of coffee for analysis and no-one knew anything about it, until now. See, when the Pipeline Management decided my services were no longer needed in the “Custody Transfer Lead” role, even though I had refused Fat Alex’s invite but was then “force transferred” away from SCADA, in the end I was officially assigned as a Pump Station I Technician and scheduled to go to “Basic Training”, after many years in dedication. Yes, my new job starting all over again – my reward? And even though I had attended that training at Pump Station #5 when I was hired back in 1979, wherein my room-mate was Fat Alex’s son who was being promoted left and right for doing nothing, well no one gave a rat’s ass about anything except their own feather. So I showed up for that “training” and when the instructor found out I was scheduled to be in that training, he refused to teach the class because he knew my background and thus cancelled it because he was pissed that someone had made such a messed up decision to send me back 10-years in time. Like I have been trying to deliver in understanding my dilemma, when labeled as a “Vocal Union Supporter” and on an HR “hit-list”, this is the behavior that follows such an endeavor orchestrated by the Howitt Cowards. The back-stabbing SOB faction of the Alyeska “corporate” ladder climbers that kissed anything that looked like an ass at Bragaw Street. It is sickening. So when the instructor went home, well I was then sent back to the station in my new position. Yes, the “Basic Training” criteria was then waved and I was now a bonafide Pump Station Technician I – but would be allowed to maintain my Level VI pay for 90-days as long as I went through the basic training tests and got signed off with the routine pump station’s on-the-job tasks. It meant with an attitude I was about to be demoted if I chose not to abide by their stupidity. Look, I was not about to spend my off time from work working to become a pipeline technician! No longer was I involved in the everyday “Custody Transfer” responsibilities, but the station management wanted me around as a warm body, just in case the “Custody Transfer Team” needed help - yes I was to remain on the sideline just in-case. But now my baby-sitting job was over and finally after 10-years I was assigned a “real” job”. Yes, for all my hard work and dedication and vocal about “drunk” tanker captains, as by now the EXXON Valdez had become a reality because Alyeska broke the will of a Union that would have prevented such a disaster, I was then assigned as the “Rover”. This is the bottom-feeding position for any Pump Station Technician, reserved for “New Hires” and which is highlighted as the “night shift” operator, that roams around doing not much - except using a whole lot of rags to clean up spilled oil and washing the soiled coveralls of the maintenance technicians along with those rags. But besides that, the most important function of that position at night, when everyone else is sound asleep in the PLQ, well changing the “shit bag” is what was expected of me. That was a task that needed to be signed off in efforts for me to meet that 90-day extension, else give up my pay grade - be demoted from a Technician Level VI with “Lead Technician” duties already taken away down to a Level I, about a $20k cut in pay. The “shit bag” is the human waste squeegeed of liquid urine waste, a “cake” is formed that must be removed and the device cleaned as there is no underground septic systems up north due to permafrost. So the “crap” from the station latrines is congregated in a machine, purged of liquid matter and that stuff is injected into the hot exhausts of the mainline turbines used to pump that oil – in efforts to thermally destroy the human waste – and the reason all the piping around those pump stations looks of “yellow matter custard” because sometimes there is just too much shit to handle as Alyeska feeds its workers very well. So then the “crap cake” must be removed. I refused this job, and then realized all those days wherein coffee was fair game plavmanship, it was well worth the effort - as Alyeska pissed on me and wow what a feeling that I had the opportunity to reciprocate and pissed on it all! Happy trails!
In ending, here is what that Alyeska President James B. Hermiller said about me, when that Kathy Carr “Vocal Union Supporter” hit-list e-mail made it outside its intended audience, but by this time I had quit:
“You were a valued and talented employee. Alyeska certainly benefitted from your 11 plus years of dedicated service. Your record reflects rehire eligibility. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.”
Rehire eligibility? Only if I thought changing a “shit bag” was my new career!
Spilled coffees on me! And there is no way that during the time that I “tweaked” the composite samplers on a random basis with “coffee”, for the SOHIO/BP oil, for the ARCO oil, for the EXXON oil, for the Amerada Hess oil, for the Phillips Petroleum oil, for the Unocal oil or for the State-of-Alaska’s oil share, no way the accounting of that crude oil sent down the line was accurate. And so what is my going away sentiment now that the time has come to fulfil my very own EXXON Valdez “wrecking ball” by telling my story of retaliation. And so what some more that it may have messed up the State-of-Alaska’s “Royalty Share” of that oil through its resource ownership - as maybe that is payback for the state because it employed workers in Valdez that were afraid to help stop those drunk tanker captains. Not to forget Federal “oversight” that was blinded by the might of “Big Oil”, and every-time that a whistleblower found the courage to speak out, that even if the issue was a blatant violation of OSHA and warranted by a $fine$, well there always came a “dismissal of fines” even once upon a time when Alyeska was hit up with (8) serious violations that killed a worker. True story.
But before signing off, maybe another lesson learned in the category of atrocities fostered by Alyeska’s wanton waste in its efforts to make sure a “Union” never planted a seed, that if successful in Valdez could have not only STOPPED the EXXON Valdez “wreck” it could have extended itself in representation up that “pipeline” and overflow into the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. That would have amassed a fortress like “Union” presence 10000 workers strong. Look the fact that Alyeska’s executive management chose to side with the drunk tanker captains and their crews, and instead fight our “Union” interests, well in testimony the EXXON Valdez “wreck” is the judge’s gavel and the jury verdict of that being an “atrocity”. And by the mid-80s, it appeared that Alyeska President George Mucous Nelson was more concerned about his Rotary Club “image” over that of the safety of the pipeline workers, for that matter no consideration on the environment. I was not a “Rotary” fan, but my father-in-law was and when that summertime trip to Alaska came about, it meant I had to buy a tie to accompany him to this bigot like gathering of mad man. And during one of those Anchorage rotary luncheons, George with an entourage of Alyeska ass kissing men in tights, well they praised George on how he destroyed the will of a “Union” in Valdez – and I was sitting there in realization people died and the environment would get wrecked for hundreds of years because of his success story! As far as the Custody Transfer “tweaking”, that was cheating for no worthwhile purpose, so yes an “atrocity” of another kind with respect to dismissing a producer of that rightful ownership of that resource – which included the State of Alaska. Which beckons the call that the Alyeska management condoned “atrocities”. When the management decided to break up the “Vocal Union Supporters”, well several other “atrocities” come to mind. See, while still in Valdez and before I was transferred up the “Hill”, to get myself as well as other “vocals” away from the drunks after there came a “causeway rebellion”, one of my main obligations was to make sure the loading berths were ready to accommodate the crude oil tankers through de-ballasting and then taking on crude oil for that journey south. With increased throughput on the TAPS in the early 80s, the tanker arrival and departures were like a traffic jam scenario about to get worse. So my supervisor Lynn McArthur wanted the I&E team to devise a method to speed things up, without compromising safety. It was a time when things in the hi-tech world were changing overnight and McArthur being the genius he was as an electrical engineer, in insight he envisioned a “computer assisted controller” that could retune the berth loading control systems based on the tanker that was scheduled to arrive, beforehand as each tanker maintained different loading limits criteria so in efforts that down-time could be minimized. And it would also assist in the time-consuming instrument calibration intervals, which would take days to accomplish and only allowed when tanker traffic allowed for a time out in the action – which was becoming few and far between. So we grabbed the challenge and designed that system and could take credit for shaving off 3-hours per loading, like a 25% reduction. That was monumental, but we met the challenge and made a name for ourselves. Matter of fact, the concept was so unique that we were allowed to show off the “computer aided concept” to a group of engineers and technicians in Anchorage at the Alyeska headquarters and the project was highlighted in Alyeska’s very own monthly publication, “The Insider”. As was acknowledged how my participation in that project made it a success: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding job Mike Kelley did in developing the berth flow control instrumentation test panel. This test facility has contributed significantly towards improving the operating efficiency of the I&E Maintenance group, and minimizing berth flow control system downtime. As a result of this panel, instrumentation maintenance work, which in the past took days to complete, is now finished in a matter of hours. Mike, you have been actively involved in this project since its conception, and because of your many technical contributions and hours of work, the project is a total success. I compliment you on a job well done, and I am confident that your future assignments will be handled just as professionally”(Lynn McArthur – I & E Supervisor, 3/80). And that “Letter of Appreciation” reinforced by another “Letter of Appreciation” to be yet another legal document of record in my Alyeska Human Resources file: “Mike, please accept my thanks and appreciation for your significant contributions. The test panel concept, design, construction, and successful application in the berth flow control system is a tribute to your technical competence. It is always fun to strive for excellence and your achievements demonstrate the rewards for excellent performance”(Truett C. Smith – Valdez Maintenance & Operations Superintendent, 3/80). OK, they are bragging about me once again, I cannot help that. But Lynn McArthur was a genius, an instrumentation and process and electrical engineer that shined above the rest of the Alyeska engineers, a guy way ahead of the times when it came to introducing the “hi-tech” into the world we live. But when the “Union” thing cast a shadow over the “Valdez Marine Terminal” and there came an all-out effort to rid the “Terminal” of those that sided with the “Union”, like myself, there also came a clearing-house to the management that held some semblance of supervisory control over what was called the “disgruntled crews”. Yes, we “Vocal Union Supporters” were labeled as such, because we cared! Because of the commotion over our “Union” drive for outside representation, McArthur had become a fall guy and was eventually transferred out of Valdez in what appeared to be a demotion, in a new assignment as a Pump Station manager, yes a step down from his Valdez recognition if nothing more based on crew size and area of responsibility. A pumping station is minuscule in both size comparison and technical complication to what went on at the “Valdez Marine Terminal”. Lynn did not want to give up his post in Valdez, he was forced to leave. Once the company had spent many lawyer hours fighting the ”Union” and agued a convincing victory against the workers interest in outside representation, it was not a right of way action wherein the retaliation started, especially when our “vote” to unionize was before the NLRB. So in the 1984 time frame, it is when the company started its pilgrimage to forever dismantle things so that a “Union” would never get a hearing. “Kill the Messenger” meant a dead-on-arrival undertaking. So McArthur was moved out of the hornet’s nest of the “Union” activity, which meant things would continue to deteriorate for the workers, and not only in Valdez. During a bad rain and hail-storm in August of 1985, McArthur was having turbine problems at Pump Station #12. That station is the last pumping station on the pipeline and all 3-pumps required to push that oil over the mountains before it heads towards Valdez, maximum pumping capacity to meet the current throughput demands set by the “Owner Company” that was by now raking it in with the $Black Gold$, so was the State of Alaska - which means with money-over-matters that entity with a governor also did not care about the workers’ voice nor the environment. Said again, the EXXON Valdez was avoidable had the powers-to-be really cared. I had talked to Lynn just the night before on that August of 1985, as he remembered my birthday, the 19th and was not in good spirits which was very unusual for Lynn. He told me he was under pressure to get all 3-turbines running and did not want to call in a crew from Anchorage, not by plane and had hoped that the crew could instead wait until daybreak and drive to the station, about a 4-hour drive which was a routine thing. Lynn was over-ruled in his “wait it out” decision and it was demanded by the pipeline superintendent to call in a master mechanic to arrive by plane, a Lear jet, just so some fat asshole could tell corporate he was responding. At 2:05am on approach to the airfield in bad weather the plane went down, killing the pilots and one of Alyeska’s “Best of the Best” turbine mechanics. Lynn never got over that accident, placing the blame for such upon himself, in excuse that he never should have given that plane permission to land and that self-inflicted lack of courage would eventually kill his desire to be the righteous man I had the opportunity to call a friend and work for. Said again, that is what a “Union” would have disallowed, placing workers in harm’s way. McArthur should have still been the “boss hog” in Valdez, not sent out to pasture to some Podunk facility run by a fat asshole, just because of a “Union” threat. The sad fact, it meant the pipeline throughput was suffering a 1/3rd reduction, so what as there was always a future to make things up but Fat Alex over-ruled McArthur, and a good worker died and a great manager lost his will to understand what life was all about when idiots make detrimental decisions just to justify their positions of power. On another atrocity that was related to the “Union” busting, the company retaliation plan in Valdez found safety taking a back seat, as there came a very bad disconnect between management and the workers, especially after we lost that bid seeking outside representation – so it meant the drunks would continue to raise hell in Valdez. The company had fired that warning shot across the bow with the “Union”, the reason McArthur was transferred and the reason the retaliation plan of attack was the priority with our working conditions. When such a disconnect takes over, well it causes even more of a disgruntlement and safety suffers, maybe out of frustration no one was listening and we still have a job to perform. One morning, December 15th in 1984 at the height of the “Union” retaliations to be exact, when there was some crane work scheduled on a berth, the operating mechanic could not get in position to set the crane’s stabilization riggers, to secure the machine, as the loading berths are tight structures. When the mechanics’ crew realized that was an unsafe dilemma and so instead asked for a crane to be delivered aboard a barge, as there was such a “floating crane” sitting at the docks in Valdez and for Alyeska’s use, it was easy street! But that request was unacceptable, as by now the management in Valdez due the “Union” was in that “kill the messenger” mood and a mandate of “do as I say” ruled our every move. And in excuse that there was no time to get that barge and crane to the “Terminal”, because there was a tanker due in and hey, must get that berth ready for that tie-up as the crew has drinking time to contend with! So in haste, because the management said get the job done and some were afraid that delays would be contributed to the lingering “Union” drive and then be associated with that in grievance and be targeted by the retaliation “hit list”, well that crane and the operator lost its footing, because the riggers did not work, and that worker went overboard with the crane and was strangled by the crane’s hoisting cables. See, when we were a single maintenance group, there was twice the voice during the morning meetings that could take a stand upon safety of the jobs scheduled for the day. When the “Union” movement was challenged by the management wherein they thought they could “win” by dividing us up, well it helped Alyeska with turning away the “Union” but at the same time contributed to worker deaths. Yes, breaking the “Union” was then more important then the worker safety. That my friend can chalk up 2-more atrocities! That was the Alyeska way, anything to keep that feather in one’s cap with the screwed-up management that would allow for bad weather decisions to kill its employees and still did nothing about the drunk tanker crews. But George could brag about it at the Rotary Club!
The “Causeway Rebellion” occurred one day in the early 80s, before we had decided a “Union” was necessary for our protection, as I was performing my duties down at Berth 5. I had driven down the “causeway” to retrieve the loading arm controllers, as the tanker that was berthed had finished loading but the crew was a no-show and managers were starting to panic as there was no room for delays. As I was backing off the causeway, the TAXI showed up and dropped off the crew. Now the TAXI was not permitted on the “causeway” and before you know it that crew was stumbling about and over each-other as they rambled about to jump in the back of my PU, thinking I was there to give them a ride down to that tanker. The “causeway” was not very wide, so if there was someone walking about, any vehicle traffic would have to come to a dead stop, the reason that crew was then trying to hijack my truck. They had become accustomed to that joy-ride assistance at the Alyeska workers’ expense. But today was going to be different as I was quick to tell them to get the hell out, but was met with some unfriendly advice and words that were threatening. We knew that it would eventually come to a stand-off, and herein it was. So I grabbed my 18” pipe-wrench and was ready to go to war with these bastards that thought I was their slave driver and lucky enough Big Jim saw what was going on and stopped to assist me, likewise yielding an 18” Rigid pipe wrench and Roger his passenger, a Native Alaskan with a limp, well Roger had the strength of a brown bear and grabbed a 48” Rigid wrench. That was enough to somewhat sobber up the crew and they then started to walk that causeway, it was slow going as they were totally inebriated. And that was the last straw, as then we seriously started to talk about a “Union”.
Finally, I end my story and leave it with this, that sabotage, “I did it for the UNION!”
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.
Yours Truly, Michael S. Kelley
For Further details, call the Ombudsman at (907) 835-4709, ask for Larry.
