Alaska Pipeline Threat

[Cosmoline]

This is an interesting tidbit:

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/7371588p-7283808c.html

A recent posting on a Web site purportedly affiliated with al-Qaida urges attacks against the trans-Alaska oil pipeline and Valdez tanker dock, calling on jihadists to either shower the pipe with bullets or hide and detonate explosives along its length.

The unknown author encourages small cells of four or five mujahedeen, or Muslim guerrillas, living in the United States or in Canada or Mexico to mount the attacks.

The 10-page posting includes numerous links to Web sites providing maps and other basic information about the pipeline.
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Of course, the pipeline has already been shot with nearly all calibers known to man. It took multiple hits from a .338 Lapua in the same place to finally break a hole in it a few years back. But there are dents all up and down its length from yahoos shooting it over the decades.

AQ, however, has a real preference for high explosives and fuel bombs. And most of their guys can't shoot worth a darn. Which makes me suspect if they do try anything it will be with high explosives moved up through Canada or manufactured in state. The state has such a tiny Muslim population, however, it would be difficult to avoid attention. Though you never know.

 

[rick_reno]

Hmmm...Al Jazeera is reporting today that Al-Zawahiri - the a**hole the CIA tried to kill recently in that attack in Pakistan is telling the terrorists to attack oil sources in Muslim countries. I don't doubt for a minute they'd expand their operation outside Muslim countries.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/081F5547-A5A6-429B-A53D-080568E52A5A.htm

"I call on mujahidin to focus their attacks on Muslims' embezzled oil. Most of its revenues go to the enemies of Islam; meanwhile most of what is left is taken by the thieves who are ruling our countries."

 

[spacemanspiff]

no doubt the pipeline is vulnerable, to some extent.

i would speculate that the pipeline security teams are equipped with the best possible gear to alert them to breeches in its security. they do make regular patrols via helicopter. wouldnt surprise me if they had infrared heat detectors mounted to their cameras so they could locate indivduals 'hiding' along it.

and couple that with the ability of our state troopers to close down any possible exits (whats we got? one highway between civilization and anything remotely close to the pipeline?) it'd either be a suicide bombing or guaranteed capture by authorities.

 

[Cosmoline]

I sure hope so. I know they beefed up security after 9/11, but I don't know if the patrols have kept going at the same rate. Hopefully they will keep a close eye out. Though I've heard of terrorists using assault donkeys strapped with high explosives, so maybe they'll try an assault moose! Some of them seem to have converted to radical Islam

 

[rick_reno]

I hope that "assault moose" stomps them into the ground.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Try it in January when it's about -40*. Come July we find Ahmed the Snowman frozen in a block of ice.

 

[Biker]

I call BS, Cosmo, you're paranoid. It's obvious that the moose are bowing to the south toward Seattle, the resting place of Jimi Hendix!

Biker

 

[dolanp]

Of course, the pipeline has already been shot with nearly all calibers known to man. It took multiple hits from a .338 Lapua in the same place to finally break a hole in it a few years back. But there are dents all up and down its length from yahoos shooting it over the decades.

Enter the continued threat of the 50 Caliber Terror!!!!

 

[stevelyn]

It wasn't a .338 Lapua. It was your garden variety .338 Winchester. The pipe itself is regular old 48" steel pipe with 3/8" walls.

I know the worthless puke that shot it. Believe me he's not sophisticated enough to get his hands on a .338 Lapua.

The only reason the pipe hasn't been breached before is a matter of luck.

 

[TallPine]

So what is a one-third or one-half inch hole going to do to a 48" pipe carrying thick gooey crude oil...?

I mean, other than cause a tiny leak and a small oil spill and costs for repair?

IMO, the Arab terrorists are going to stick with targets in warmer and more accessible areas (that is, the ones that haven't already decided that living in the sinful United States is a lot better than blowing yourself up for some stupid cause)

 

[stevelyn]

So what is a one-third or one-half inch hole going to do to a 48" pipe carrying thick gooey crude oil...?

I mean, other than cause a tiny leak and a small oil spill and costs for repair?

That thick gooey oil is under 500 psi and shoots out like a fire hose. The leak itself won't necesarily hurt the flow of oil through the pipe, but the entire system has to be shut down for repairs........all 800 miles of it. Then it takes a couple of days start it back up again and even longer to get the flow moving again. It's not like shutting off a water pipe. You have sevral pump stations that have to come back online in a coordinated proceedure. Meanwhile there are tankers waiting in Valdez to get loaded.
Then you have the environmental clean up to worry about. Not an issue in the winter since the ground is frozen and the oil pools on top. However, an incident in the summer months could be a nightmare depending on location.

If you research the archives at http://www.ktuu.com you should find photos or video of the oil squirting out when that yayhoo shot it. KTUU news uses a short clip of it in their collage of video clps in their opening credits.
The incident occurred October 2001.

Found an arieal photo of it. http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=4789&channel=0

 

[The_Antibubba]

Strapping explosives to a moose? That sounds like the work of Elk Aida!

 

[Biker]

Strapping explosives to a moose? That sounds like the work of Elk Aida!

Oh, now *that* was good! That was reeeaaaalll good!!!

Biker

 

[cslinger]

Yeah because we don't get enough of our oil from overseas where it would be much easier and more devestating to attacking us.

Ya know I really hate terrorists, not Muslims, terrorists. Jesus or Allah for that matter can we not all sit down, get drunk, throw a few punches, hug, cry and work it out.

 

[Northwet]

Pipeline protection

I was with the 172nd Light Infantry Brigade at Fort Rickardson, AK while the pipeline was being built. We had numerous winter exercises, enjoying the -45 degree temperatures and with attacks against the pipeline and pumping stations as part of the scenario.
The pump stations could be protected by soldiers for the most part but the pipeline itself stretches a bit too far to protect.
One thing I didn't realize until much later is just how much sulfer content is in the Alaska oil. A lot of scrubbing is required to make it anything that motor vehicles can use. Great for asphalt though.
That said, the last time (1994) I was in Prudhoe Bay on a tour with an international group, there was a lot of steam being injected into the wells to build up pressure. There's not many more years of life left in the Prudhoe Bay field.
North"wet"