The Trans-Alaska Pipeline was financed by eight large, multinational oil companies that joined together to form Alyeska. These eight companies made it possible to finish this project in three years (completed in 1977) even though the environment and terrain conditions made it difficult to complete.

This pipeline was built to transport large amounts of oil. The pipeline has delivered more than nine billion barrels of oil to Valdez.

The Alaska Pipeline stretches from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, overcoming environmental conditions where the Arctic wind blows bringing the temperature to about minus 60*F and where the soil thaws enough to become a breeding ground for insects in the summer. On top of that, the pipeline scales three mountain ranges, crosses more than 350 rivers and streams and rests on top or under ground where caribou migrate or earthquakes occur.

During the construction in the summer of 1975 about 20,000 men and women worked 12-hour shifts for 7 days a week, in order to complete the project before the winter season. Tubular supports were created to support the pipe, to prevent the permafrost from melting and teflon-coated "shoes" were also created to allow the pipe to slide freely within supports in case of an earthquake.

The underground pipes are kept frozen with an insulation system and small lines carrying brine. The pipe also has 62 valves where the flow of oil can be shut off any time if the pipe ruptures.