Giant project for Alaska's oil patch places heavy demand on welding

Next month (May 15th, to be exact) barges carrying 12 fabricated sealift modules will leave New Iberia, on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, and head north to their final destination at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The mid-May deadline for shipment is crucial because it is the only time of year that ocean traffic can penetrate the usually frozen waters of the Arctic Ocean. Fortunately, construction at New Iberia has been running 6% ahead of schedule. Once again, at the same time next year, barges will load the remaining 13 modules and begin their 7,970-mile long journey. The 25 sealift modules represent the components of a huge structure that will expand the existing gas-handling facilities at the Prudhoe Bay field from 5.2 to 7.5 billion standard cu ft per day by the year 1995. Known as the Gas Handling Expansion 2 or GHX-2 project, it will be critical to the future of the Prudhoe Bay field. Welding is playing a major role in the fabrication of these structures containing more than 40,000 tons of carbon and stainless steels which, when completed, will increase the amount of oil available from the North Slope. This article discusses the challenges and success of the weldingmore » of the sealift modules.« less