What is the Joint Pipeline Office

JPO, established in 1990, is six state and six federal agencies sharing similar regulatory or management responsibilities related to oil and gas pipelines in Alaska, most notably the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS). Representatives from six of the 12 agencies are co-located and coordinate oversight of pipelines, and issue right-of-way leases and other permits needed for oil and gas projects. Cooperative agreements were developed between agencies to share staff, knowledge, equipment, and office space. This unique working environment eliminates duplication of work, is more customer oriented, and simplifies complicated and lengthy government processes.

Annual JPO TAPS Work Plans

ADNR and BLM, as land managers, co-manage the activities of the JPO. The SPCO administers 21 pipeline right-of-way leases, the most significant being TAPS. BLM administers three right-of-way grants with TAPS being the only operational pipeline.

JPO develops an annual work plan each year that includes objectives, authority, strategy, commitments, functions, and organizational structure. JPO’s commitments and objectives must comply with Government Performance and Results Act requirements. The State has agreed to work with BLM to implement an activity-based costing initiative to meet federal budgeting requirements.

There are a number of general objectives JPO strives to accomplish in the work plan:

Compliance with the Federal Grant, State Lease, and state and federal laws, regulations and industry accepted codes and standards.

Continued safe movement of oil through TAPS through reduction of TAPS risk by understanding hardware condition, ensuring follow through on Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) action items, effective failure planning, and addressing noncompliance promptly.

Protection of the environment and public safety through monitoring modification, maintenance, and operation of high-risk systems.

Prompt and effective response to incidents and events on TAPS to assess, contain, correct and clean up damage, as well as to prevent recurrence.

Sustaining a TAPS culture respectful of commitments made to Alaska Natives, diversity, and concerned employees.

Follow-through on renewal commitments made in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) mitigating measures, the Record of Decision (ROD), and the Commissioner’s Final Written Determination.

Coordination among agencies regulating TAPS.

Management of TAPS oversight information to provide detailed tracking, trending, and reporting capabilities.

Operationally, the various JPO sections perform the following planned functions:

Process authorizations, approvals, permits, and amendments required under the TAPS Grant or Lease.

Process Notices to Proceed (NTP) and conduct technical compliance reviews of TAPS and other pipelines.

Process applications under 43 CFR 2800, 43 CFR 2910, 43 CFR 3660, AS 27.19, AS 38.05.120, AS 38.05.850, AS 38.05.920, AS 41.14, and AS 46.15, and AS 46.40.

Monitor stipulation compliance on a risk-based priority.

Monitor projects on a risk-based priority.

Conduct technical oversight of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s (APSC) implementation of RCM methodology to identify failure management policies necessary to preserve the functions of critical TAPS systems.

Monitor and issue NTPs related to TAPS Strategic Reconfiguration project.

JPO Oil Spill Group reviews and approves oil spill plans, monitors compliance with oil spill plans, and conducts oil spill drills.

The JPO Corrosion Group monitors APSC’s corrosion program.

The JPO tracks commitments and requirements agreed to by APSC in various Memorandums of Agreement/Memorandums of Understanding (MOA/MOU).

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.Agencies

State

Federal

Structure

The JPO is an appropriate intergovernmental structure to carry out the multi-agency mission of safely moving oil and gas to market while ensuring the protection of public health and safety and the environment. An Executive Council has been established to oversee the JPO. Administratively, the lead agencies within the JPO are the BLM and the ADNR. The Authorized Officer appointed by the BLM Alaska State Director, and the State Pipeline Coordinator appointed by the Commissioner of the ADNR, serve as Executive Co-Directors for the Executive Council. While all agencies retain their individual authorities, the staff work collaboratively and frequently together on administrative, technical, and regulatory issues. Agency personnel may participate in self-directed work teams, such as the Oil Spill Issues Team and the Corrosion Team. All agencies coordinate activities such as permitting and field oversight projects, as needed. Agencies with jurisdiction over an issue may take a lead role or take independent actions depending on the circumstances.

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Chronology of Events

1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003

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