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2016 ConocoPhillips Arctic Science and Engineering Endowment Awardees
The four winning projects—chosen out of 29 proposals after a rigorous evaluation process by a committee comprised of UAA staff—will receive a total of approximately $280,000 for fiscal year 2016. Projects funded through the first distribution of the ConocoPhillips Arctic Science and Engineering endowment include:
Accelerated Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) Test Apparatus
(Matthew Cullin)
Funds will be used to design, build and test an apparatus that will allow for the
non-destructive characterization of CUI in legacy pipe samples under simulated and
accelerated atmospheric exposure conditions. CUI presents a significant threat to
the integrity of oil and gas infrastructure in cold climate locations. Approximately
40-60 percent of pipeline maintenance costs are related to CUI. Inspection and remediation
are expensive and, under some circumstances, unreliable. This apparatus will allow
faculty and students at UAA to determine the mechanisms and rates of CUI under real
conditions and to evaluate remedial solutions for known problem locations on hydrocarbon
transport lines (i.e., weld packs, saddle locations, etc.).
The Impacts of Plastic on Western Aleutian Island Seabirds: Detection of Phthalates
in Muscle and Embryonic Tissues
(Douglas Causey and Aaron Dotson)
The objective for this research is to build a foundation of knowledge of phthalate
exposure in Bering Sea seabirds that leads to better understanding of their correlative
effect on seabird reproduction and survival, population dynamics, and, more broadly,
ecosystem health. In the United States, plastic materials are manufactured from hydrocarbon
gas liquids (HGL) and natural gas, and humans use these plastic materials for various
purposes. Plastics have transformed the way humans live since they are an optimal
medium used in many consumer products because they are lightweight, durable, inexpensive,
and good insulating materials. In addition, plastic is disposable, and plastic debris
is making a large impact on the environment. The plastic debris that enters the Pacific
Ocean eventually reaches the seabird communities of the Bering Sea. Seabirds mistake
the plastic debris for prey items, ingest them and consequently are exposed to numerous
chemical adjuncts, particularly endocrine-disrupting compounds like phthalates. We
do not know the full extent of phthalate exposure in seabirds, nor do we know well
their consequent effects on seabird health.
Snow Cover in Alaska: Comprehensive Review
(Gennady Gieko with Scott Hamel and Rob Lang)
Structural engineers rely on published ground snow load values to calculate the forces
for which their structures must be designed. Outside major cities in Alaska, these
load values were most recently published in 1994, more than 20 years ago. This project
will assemble depth and weight data available from various recording agencies and
centers (such as the National Weather Service, the Natural Resource Conservation Service,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Snow and Ice
Data Center) to update the probability-based ground snow load values for as many Alaskan
locations as are available. In addition, sites record both weight (or snow water equivalent)
and depth will be used to evaluate the existing characterizations of snow density
in Alaska.
Petroleum Geology at UAA: Geophysics Faculty and ConocoPhillips Subsurface Laboratory
Support
(LeeAnn Munk, Jennifer Aschoff, Matt Reeves, and Erin Shea)
Funds will be used to support the research start-up of a new geophysics faculty member
and associated subsurface laboratory. These funds will improve the ability to conduct
research in subsurface geophysics and educate students in myriad subspecialties in
geology, including but not limited to: subsurface interpretation, petroleum geology,
and 3-D image interpretation. These skills will provide valuable preparation for students
seeking careers in the petroleum industry and/or graduate studies.