On the northern-most slope of Alaska, situated 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, sits a prolific but remote place called Greater Prudhoe Bay. Home to the largest oil field in North America, Prudhoe Bay is the starting gate of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System which funnels roughly 14% of U. S. crude oil to pumping stations throughout Alaska.

One morning in April 2016 a severe storm caused an almost complete shut down of Prudhoe’s power grid. This brought snow and ice which was laden with thick grime and debris to coat insulators on the power lines, which in turn caused breakers to trip.

BP Alaska’s Central Power Station and their Transmission and Distribution (T & D) Department went to work immediately trying restore power, but could only handle a portion of the work. They needed help, fast. Two days after the power went out, an emergency call came from BP Alaska to Air2 President Sunita Khorana.

Air2 maintains a fleet of MD 500 helicopters located throughout North America, and is highly experienced in mobilizing quickly in response to emergency situations. Air2 is a proven, accomplished first responder to major utility companies when anything from a hurricane to an ice storm causes power outages.

However, the Prudhoe Bay situation posed a unique set of challenges: how to transport a MD500 helicopter, a maintenance truck, specialized transmission line insulator washing equipment and support crews from Louisiana to the North Shore of Alaska – a 3,600 mile trip – all within 48 hours?

The answer? With a team of experts who work swiftly and with pinpoint precision.

Responding immediately to BP Alaska’s call, Air2’s first task was to select a team most familiar with emergency response and cold weather insulator washing. Within 24 hours of the call being sent, Air2 crews arrived in Louisiana from all over the US.

Similar to how the US Military moves tanks and troops, Air2 management turned to Lynden Air Cargo. Lynden Air Cargo has a fleet of Hercules L-100 Cargo Aircraft (the civilian variant of the US Military’s C-130) designed to haul oversized cargos and has the ability to land in confined remote areas. This was the perfect solution for BP Oil and Air2.

The immediate task was to prepare the helicopter for shipment. Under the direction of Air2’s Director of Maintenance, aircraft components were removed and crated to allow the helicopter to fit through the L-100’s cargo doors. A crane and crew, provided by a PLH group sister company, Auger Services, then lifted the helicopter and its crated parts onto the Lynden Transport truck bed, to be delivered to the Hercules L-100.

After safely loading the helicopter and a maintenance truck, the Air2 crew set off for the 12-hour flight. Arriving in Alaska, Air2 had to reassemble the helicopter, begin testing the equipment and get ready to wash the insulators.

Power washing electrical transmission lines in freezing temperatures requires not only specialized equipment, but absolute mental concentration, a high level of skill and precision from the helicopter crew. There is no room for error.

Emergency response really means respond as quickly and safely as possible. To the credit of BP Oil and Air2 management, the green light was issued on a Friday afternoon, Air2 was cleaning insulators in Alaska the following Tuesday.

“Team work” is the key element that makes emergency response successful, and there were many teams involved in the entire process of restoring the power to Prudhoe Bay. Overall it took two weeks working in frigid conditions to get the insulators cleaned and back in service.

Emergency response really means respond as quickly and safely as possible. To the credit of BP Oil and Air2 management, the green light was issued on a Friday afternoon, Air2 was cleaning insulators in Alaska the following Tuesday.

“Team work” is the key element that makes emergency response successful, and there were many teams involved in the entire process of restoring the power to Prudhoe Bay. Overall it took two weeks working in frigid conditions to get the insulators cleaned and back in service.

Both on the ground and in the air, these teams included the Air2 crews who were specially trained in cold weather insulator washing, along with a team of emergency response experts from Auger Services, the Lynden Air Cargo personnel, engineers from BP Alaska, Peak Oil Field Service Company and CH2M Hill Engineering Consultants.

BP Alaska commented “these crews worked long hours, wrestling with high pressure washers to clean insulators, restoring them to operational integrity and did so without a single HSE incident. They deserve recognition for the incredible feat that they pulled off in reestablishing power to the GPB field. Hearty congratulations to each and every one on a job very well done.”