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The State of Alaska has selected Emerald/ABS consulting team to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Alaska's oil and gas infrastructure. Emerald/ABS Consulting team has extensive experience in risk assessment, process safety management, asset integrity evaluation, process engineering, and has provided risk management services to public and private organizations around the world.

Governor Palin announced this comprehensive, three-year initiative in May 2007. In addition to the State Agency Oversight Team, participation from federal agencies, local government, industry, environmental groups, and the public will be actively sought and incorporated at key points throughout the project.

The risk assessment will evaluate Alaska's crude oil infrastructure and risks to safety, the environment and reliability. At the conclusion of the study, the project will result in recommended actions related to any risks to the system.

The first task of the Emerald/ABS Consulting team will be developing a project design and detailed scope of study to assess the risk of Alaska's existing oil and gas infrastructure from Prudhoe Bay to the marine loading terminal in Valdez, plus Cook Inlet.

"The selection of Emerald/ABS Consulting represents an important step in completing this first of a kind risk assessment," said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Larry Hartig. "We need an independent, objective appraisal of the condition of our oil and gas infrastructure, including identifying components that present a risk to continued production and our environment. The risk assessment will give us that along with recommendations for mitigating weaknesses."

A State Agency Advisory Team with members from DEC, the Department of Natural Resources (including the State Pipeline Office and Petroleum Systems Integrity Office), Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Department of Law, Department of Public Safety and the Department of Revenue will contribute their expertise to the project.

Updated project information and instructions on how comments can be submitted will be available through DEC's website. Public workshops are also being planned to provide information and take public comments.

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A project website has been established on DEC's web pages at: http://www.dec.state.ak.us