Ground_Support_SeptemberP2019 - 35

FUELING

Sub-zero Work Conditions
The harsh environment prompts quick
learning, primarily how to stay warm while
working all day.
"The work is hard, and the hours are long,
but the community of people whom surround you make it all worthwhile," Goodale
explains. "Attitude is key. Maintaining a
positive attitude can take you far."
While the schedule is prone to daily
changes, Goodale and his team will have
three LC-130 morning lines and two LC-130
night lines. The Twin Otters and Baslers vary
depending on the time of the year but can fly
in and out up to eight times per day.
"In McMurdo, we have two airfields - one
is a skiway, which the LC-130s, Twin Otters
and Baslers fly out of. The second airfield is
an ice runway," Goodale explains. "The sur-

face is as dense as a paved surface to support
the weight of a C-17 GlobeMaster, Airbus
A319, C-130 and 757.
"Over the course of a 16-week flying season, we typically see 70-80 flights reach the
South Pole to deliver valuable cargo resupply, science cargo and over 80,000 gallons
of fuel to resupply fuel reserves in preparation for the fast-approaching winter," he
continues. "Every year, we have various deep
field camps with required resupply flights
of fuel and cargo. The number of flights to
each camp varies annually, but the latest field
camp we're supporting is the Thwaites project, which is a collaborative effort between
the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the
United States Antarctic Program (USAP).
Last year, alone, Goodale's team delivered
more than 50,000 gallons via LC-130, along
with cargo. According to Goodale, that is
equivalent to 50 flights.
Much of the work performed by Goodale's
team is considered sustaining, but they have
seasonal projects as well.
"Each year, between September and
October, we lay a 6" layflat Angus Chemicoil hose 7.5 miles from McMurdo Station
to the William Field skiway," Goodale says.
"This project takes over six weeks from start
to finish. Following its completion, the hose
line is used to transfer 80,000 to 160,000
gallons a week throughout the season. In a
typical year, we'll transfer 1.2 to 1.5 million
gallons of AN-8 through this pipeline."
Photo courtesy of NSF | Rebekah Osgood, photographer

"The principles within the fuels department are similar, including fluid dynamics
such as flow rates, friction loss calculations
and pump types," Goodale explains. "The
major exception is it's fuel and not water.
Additional considerations come into play
as well as the need to understand how fuel
acts differently than water, and the need to
focus on static build-up and above ground
impacts of expansion and contractions
within pipelines."

Throughout October and November,
Goodale and his crew drain bulk tanks
that require cleaning or are slated to receive
an API out-of-service inspection for
recertification.
Then, starting in January, preparations
are being made to receive a resupply tanker.
"Every other year, we receive a mass resupply of fuel to replenish our reserves," Goodale
explains. "On-station, we can bulk store a
three-year supply of fuel, two years of operations reserves and one year as a contingency."
In order to receive the tanker, Goodale
says a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Polar
Star is deployed to break the ice within the
Ross Sound. The Polar Star is deployed from
Seattle and once the ice breaking is complete,
a fuel resupply is required.
"We'll typically transfer 300,000 to
400,000 gallons to the ship," Goodale says.
"Once the ice channel has been milled,
the USCG Polar Star will escort the annual
resupply vessel and tanker into the McMurdo
pier," he adds. "The first week of February is
when the tanker is pier side. This evolution
takes 72 to 96 hours to offload approximately
185,000 gallons of mid-grade unleaded
motor gasoline (MUM), 850,000 gallons of
JP-5 and 6.7 million gallons of AN-8."
Following a safe completion, all efforts are
then focused on shutting down operations in
preparation for winter.
"The 'fuelies' work very hard to leave operations in the capable hands of our two winter-over operators whom will remain until
the following October and look after winter
operations," Goodale says.

Seasonal Shifts
While some workers stay year-round,
Goodale (like the majority of personnel) is
deployed to Antarctica from October through
February. During this time, the bulk of science is conducted and samples are collected.
He spends the months of March through
September in Denver, spending the northern hemisphere summer season by helping
complete planning for the next deployment.
"I work on hiring candidates for the upcoming season, procurement of consumables,
equipment and updating process and procedure," he says. "It's a very busy time of year."
Within Goodale's department, there are
24 personnel on staff in Antarctica during

SEPTEMBER 2019

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