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From Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, the historic 800+ mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) celebrates its 45th anniversary this month.
When the pipeline was completed in 1977 (the final weld had taken place on Tuesday, May 31) following three frenzied years of building and engineering, it was the world’s largest privately funded construction project ever completed. The men and women who built TAPS famously said, “we didn’t know it couldn’t be done.”
Today, TAPS remains a vital part of Alaska’s economic health and a powerhouse for oil production, generating over 17 billion barrels (and counting) throughout its lifetime. Happy 45th birthday, TAPS!
– Connor Farrar, The Alaska 100