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July 27th  - Projects Sallisaw Oklahoma - New raw water transmission line to provide six million gallons a day
Workers with S and J Construction Company Inc. have started construction on a new raw water transmission line, which will provide six million gallons of water a day for the City of Sallisaw. “This line parallels our old line all the way from the water plant to the lake. It will have the capacity to take care of our water needs for the next 50 years,” Bill Baker, Sallisaw city manager, said. “The project started June 1 and is an eight-month contract, so it will be finished around Jan. 31,” Baker said. “We will install a total of 29,000 feet of raw water transmission line and right now we have laid a little over a mile to date,” Dayne Moreton, Hawkins-Weir Engineers Inc. on-site inspector, said. “The transmission line was awarded March 8 to S and Construction Company, Inc. in Jacksonville, Arkansas for $2,590,180.23 but we added $200,032.38 to it to comply with Buy America,” Baker said. “Buy America means all the supplies and materials for this project the contractor has to be American made. The reason we did that is because the state has told us we on number one of the list now if anymore stimulus funds comes down for water projects,” Baker said. “The council did that because if there is anymore stimulus funds coming to Oklahoma we could get up to $1.6 million,” Baker said. The projects are funded by the Sallisaw Municipal Authority with Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan funds from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
July 20th  - Projects Amagasaki, Japan - News item we missed Sumitomo Metals to increase nuclear power plant tube capacity.
On April 8, Japanese steelmaker Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd (Sumitomo Metals) announced that it has decided to expand the production capacity at its Steel Tube Works in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture for steam generator tubes (SG tubes) to be used in pressurized-water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants. By this investment, Sumitomo Metals will increase the production capacity of SG tubes by approximately 2.7 times the actual production in the fiscal year 2008. The investment amount is approximately JPY 14 billion ($150.25 million), and the increased production is scheduled to start in April 2013.
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July 15th  - Projects Changzhou, Jiangsu province China - Jiangsu Changbao acquires land in Jiangsu Province
SteelGuru reports that Jiangsu Changbao Steel Tube Co Ltd, one of the biggest seamless steel tube producers in Jiangsu Province with the registered capitals of CNY 330.6 million takes a land of 260,000 square meters. In recent times, the company has finished its IPO planning to issue 69.5 million shares to the market and spend CNY 0.774 billion investing ERW660 welded steel tube project. The company eyed a profit loss for consecutive seven years with the deficit volume hitting at CNY 0.255 billion in 2001. And the company presented upward trend after 2004 and 2005 along with the whole market maintained a better momentum of development. Recently Jiangsu Changbao Steel Tube was planned to use CNY 0.774 billion to build ERW660 welded pipe project which may produce 0.3 million tonnes per year of ERW welded steel pipe after it completes.
July 7th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - Nippon Steel to start producing steel pipe and sheet piles in Vietnam
Nippon Steel Corporation said that it would start producing steel pipe and steel sheet piles in Vietnam to tap burgeoning infrastructure projects in Asia and Oceania countries. Vietnam plans a large number of infrastructure projects such as railways, roads, ports and power generation, while demand for construction steel has halved in Japan in the past two decades due to the maturing economy and public spending cuts. The Vietnamese plant, near Ho Chi Minh city, will be Nippon Steel's first overseas production base for construction steel and will start operating in May 2011 with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes a month.
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June 30th  - Projects Youngstown Ohio - Groundbreaking at V&M Star
Youngstown Ohio June 30 Groundbreaking at V&M Star U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown joined local elected officials, community leaders, and workers for the groundbreaking on a $650 million expansion of the V&M Star operation today. V&M's construction of a state-of-the-art pipe mill will generate 400 construction jobs in the next year and 350 permanent jobs. Full pipe mill operations are anticipated in late 2012. "Today's ground-breaking on one of Ohio's largest industrial projects represents what happens when the federal government enforces trade laws, invests in infrastructure, and works with the private sector to create jobs and promote long-term economic growth," Brown said. "Leaders in the Mahoning Valley have worked for decades to develop the right infrastructure, promote a strong business climate, and train a skilled workforce. It's working, and the whole world is taking notice." This project is possible, in part, by a nearly $20 million investment of American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for infrastructure improvements and transportation modifications on the industrial site. Another key factor was the enforcement of our trade laws, which created a fairer domestic market for the production of oil country tubular goods like the seamless steel pipe used for natural gas excavation. In Oct. 2009, the cities of Girard and Youngstown reached an agreement that advanced the development of land surrounding the V&M Star facility. The agreement enabled the utilization of recovery act funds, and made this site more competitive with other communities. Sen. Brown repeatedly highlights unfair trade policies that harm Ohio companies like V&M. On Dec. 30, 2009, the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that steel tube imports from China have injured the U.S. industry after Brown testified before the ITC on the issue. This ruling led to a border measure on imports to support domestic producers of steel pipe like V&M Star and Wheatland Tube. By addressing illegal Chinese trade practices, this decision helped increase demand for domestic production.
June 29th  - Projects Longview Washington - Port of Longview commissioners welcome steel-pipe manufacturer
Port of Longview commissioners are expected to sign a lease Friday to bring a new steel-pipe manufacturer to a 35-acre parcel the port once sold for a sawmill that never was built. Port commissioners will consider granting a lease to New Jersey-based Skyline Steel, a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel manufacturer, which is based in Luxembourg. The 3 p.m. meeting is at the Cowlitz Expo Center. The proposed lease includes plans for IDM Longview LLC to construct the building and sublet to Skyline, which calls itself North America's largest producer of steel-foundation products. Port officials say they will release the number of jobs the project will create at the today's meeting. Last month, Cowlitz County commissioners awarded a $300,000 state rural development grant to the port to build a rail spur and conduct other improvements to the 35-acre site to entice Skyline Steel.
June 21st  - Projects Beijing China - Beijing may finance Greek cable and pipeline projects.
China is considering investments in two possible undersea energy links between Libya and Crete are under discussion. One is a natural gas pipeline from Libya. The other is a cable to carry electricity generated by a solar-powered complex in the Libyan desert. A delegation led by Zhang Dejiang, a Chinese vice-premier, would seal a series of agreements today with local companies, a Greek government official said.
June 18th  - Projects Houston Texas - Pipe firm to build plant in Thailand
Canadoil Group, a producer of specialized pipes for oil and gas projects, said on June 17 it would invest more than $600 million to build a plant in eastern Thailand. The group said the new facility, based in Rayong province, would produce high grade metal, alloy and steel plates used to make pipes for the energy industry, and would "contribute significantly" to the Thai economy. Privately owned Canadoil, which was established in North Italy and now has a strong presence in Asia, said the new plant was expected to become operational in 2012. It said it would be one of only a handful of facilities in the world able to produce the quality of metal plates required in demanding oil and gas piping projects, employing 1,000 workers once operations begin.
June 7th  - Projects Salisbury, Maryland - Plymouth Tube Co. approved by Rolls Royce PLC to supply steel tubing
Plymouth Tube Company’s Salisbury Plant has been recognized as an approved supplier by Rolls Royce PLC. In partnership with TW Metals, U.K., the Salisbury plant has worked to achieve Rolls Royce Plc Approval, which requires Nadcap accreditation. Plymouth Tube Company Salisbury is the only North American Stainless Steel tubing manufacturer approved for Nadcap Heat Treating including, the laboratory activities such as room temperature tensile, Rockwell hardness, and metallography. "It is truly an honor to be recognized as an approved supplier to a world class company such as Rolls Royce Plc” says Tom Holmes, National Sales Manager of Plymouth Tube Company. “Plymouth Tube Company continues to align our products and services to meet the stringent demands of the aerospace industry. This approval is one more example of our commitment to customer dedication and service during our 86 year history as a world leading supplier of tubular and extruded shapes.” Customers world-wide have gained comfort and peace of mind knowing their critical components and material are supplied by the strong combination of Plymouth Tube Company and TW Metals. High quality, superior delivery, and experienced customer service are only a portion of the benefits customers achieve by specifying Plymouth Tube Company Aerospace (PTCA) Steel Tubing and TW Metals.
June 4th  - Projects Stockholm Sweden - Sandvik to supply seamless tubes to Aker
Sandvik Materials Technology has concluded a number of agreements for the delivery of high value added seamless tubes to the oil gas industry. The combined value of the agreements is SEK 700 million and deliveries will be made during 2010. The customer is the Norwegian company Aker Solutions and the tubes will be used for extraction of oil in different projects around the world. The tubes, to be delivered in continuous lengths of up to 30,000 meters, will be used in umbilicals, which are employed for such applications as remote operation of oil wells at large depths, down to 1,700 meters in these specific projects. Mr Peter Gossas president of the Sandvik Materials Technology business area said that "The oil gas industry places extremely high demands on product quality, performance and service life. The agreement further strengthens Sandvik's position as the leading supplier of advanced tubing for umbilicals in the oil gas industry."
June 1st  - Projects Mumbai India - Surya Roshni to set up steel pipe plant in K'taka
Diversified business entity Surya Group today said that it will set up a new steel pipe plant, with an expected investment of Rs 50-60 crore, in Karnataka by the end of this year. This project is in sync with the company's plans to attain sales to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore from its steel business by 2012. “We have decided to set up a steel pipe facility in Karnataka, which may involve a capital infusion of Rs 50 to 60 crore,” Surya Roshni executive director Utkarsh Dwivedi today told PTI, adding that the plant's location is expected to be finalised by next month. “The main objective behind having a plant in Karnataka is to consolidate our southern markets, such as Andhra Pradesh, Chennai and Bangalore, where we have a strong presence in the steel pipe business,” he said. The new plant would be the company’s fourth steel facility. Post-expansion, the total capacity of its steel pipe business is expected to touch eight lakh tonnes per annum. “The Karnataka plant will have a production capacity of 1 lakh tonnes per annum,” he said. Surya Group currently has steel pipe facilities in Bhuj (Gujarat), Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) and Bahadurgarh (Haryana), with an annual manufacturing capacity of seven lakh tonnes. The company manufactures GI and ERW pipes for various sectors, including infrastructure, real estate and the oil and gas industry.
May 29th  - Projects Vienna Austria - Nabucco pipeline gets over 60 bids in prequalification tender.
According to a company involved in the project said that the proposed Nabucco pipeline which could transport natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe has received more than 60 prequalification bids from companies to supply roughly USD 3.5 billion euros in pipes. Mr Vlad Pavlovschi General Manager of Nabucco Gas Pipeline Romania SRL from Vienna said that “We received more than we expected and the applicants are practically the most important pipe suppliers in the world.” Mr Vlad Pavlovschi added that the applications are being evaluated by an independent auditor, declining to provide more details. As per the reports the prequalification tender for long lead items including line pipes, valves and bends ended May 17. Companies meeting requirements will be invited for the actual tender in July the OMV AG led venture said last month. Nabucco will need roughly 2 million tons of steel. The 7.9 billion euro pipeline is expected to extend more than 3,300 kilometers from Turkey to Austria sending gas to Europe and reducing the region’s dependence on Russia. According to the Nabucco’s website the venture partners which also include Budapest based Mol Nyrt, Germany’s RWE AG, Bulgargaz EAD, Romania’s Transgaz SA and Ankara based Botaº will decide on the investment by the end of this year. Construction is set to begin in 2011 and shipments may start by the end of 2014 or early 2015. Source SteelGuru
May 26th  - Projects Dammam Saudi Arabia - Perma Pipe to build new insulated pipe plant in Dammam
Construction Week reported that detailed plant engineering and design is underway for a new insulated pipe manufacturing plant in the Dammam Industrial Area in Saudi Arabia.The plant will be developed and operated by Perma Pipe's subsidiary, Perma Pipe Middle East in tandem with its existing plant in the UAE with the aim of serving the entire GCC region. It will be known as Perma Pipe Saudi Arabia. A strategically located land site has been leased in the Dammam Industrial Area. The new hi tech manufacturing facility will serve the special requirements of the oil and gas industry, as well as the rapidly growing market for district cooling networks in Saudi Arabia.
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May 17th  - Projects Ho Chi Min City Vietnam - Sun Steel starts commissioning of 16 inch pipe mill in Binh Duong
The Sun Steel Joint Stock Company (Sunsco) has begun trial runs of the new pipe mill in Tan Dong Hiep commune, Di An district, southern Binh Duong province at a cost of more than 35 million USD. The project has two main production systems to produce rolled steel and steel pipes. It is expected to start operation in June with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes of products a month. The mill will be capable of producing 16 inch steel pipes meeting the A.P.I. standard to provide for construction projects and the oil and gas industry. Sunsco, a wholly foreign capital company, was established in 1996 and has been operating since 1998 in Binh Duong province. By 2008, Maruichi Group acquired 62.56 percent of Sunsco shares and became its parent company. The company currently produces 6,000 tonnes of cold rolled, galvanised steel, 4,000 tonnes of rolled, galvanised, pre-painted steel, 4,000 tonnes of steel pipes and 5,000 tonnes of steel rods a month.
April 20th  - Projects Vienna Austria - Voestalpine aims to supply underwater pipes to South Stream gas pipeline
Bloomberg reports that voestalpine AG aims to supply underwater pipes to the South Stream gas pipeline and doesn't plan to bid for the competing Nabucco link. Mr Wolfgang Eder CEO of voestalpine said that "For South Stream we plan to pitch for the Black Sea part, but the tender process there realistically will not be completed before 2012." Mr Eder said that "Nabucco is a land pipeline, which makes it less interesting for us regarding quality as well as dimensions." It may be noted that OAO Gazprom and Italy's Eni SpA are equal partners in a venture to build South Stream under the Black Sea, shipping as much as 63 billion cubic meters of the fuel annually from Russia and central Asia to Europe. About 900 kilometers of the pipeline will be offshore. Rival Nabucco, led by Austria's OMV AG, would deliver 31 billion cubic meters of Caspian and Middle East gas annually from eastern Turkey to Austria, bypassing Russia. Voestalpine provided 200,000 tonnes of steel for the underwater sections of Nord Stream AG, a Gazprom led venture building a gas pipe from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
April 14th  - Projects Osaka Japan - Sumitomo Metals will increase production capacity
Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo Metals) decided to expand the production capacity at its Steel Tube Works in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture for steam generator tubes*1 (SG tubes) to be used in pressurized-water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants. By this investment, Sumitomo Metals will increase the production capacity of SG tubes by approximately 2.7 times the actual production in fiscal 2008. The investment amount is approximately 14 billion yen, and increased production is scheduled to start in April 2013.
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April 8th  - Projects Istanbul Turkey - Borusan Mannesmann seeks to supply pipes for Nabucco gas line
Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi & Ticaret AS, a Turkish producer of steel and plastic pipes, aims to supply one-third of the pipes for the Nabucco project that will carry Caspian region gas to Europe. The Istanbul-based company will invest $90 million to more than double its steel pipe-making capacity to 450,000 tons, in order to bid for pipeline projects in Turkey and abroad, Chairman Bulent Demircioglu said in an April 1 interview. “We want to take a significant part in big oil and gas pipeline projects like Nabucco,” which will need 1.3 million tons of steel pipes, Demircioglu said. “We want to provide as much as 500,000 tons of it, or at least one-third.”
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April 1st  - Projects Stockholm Sweden - Sandvik concludes agreements for SEK 700 M to the oil/gas industry
Sandvik Materials Technology has concluded a number of agreements for the delivery of high value-added seamless tubes to the oil/gas industry. The combined value of the agreements is SEK 700 M and deliveries will be made during 2010. The customer is the Norwegian company Aker Solutions and the tubes will be used for extraction of oil in different projects around the world. The tubes, to be delivered in continuous lengths of up to 30,000 meters, will be used in umbilicals, which are employed for such applications as remote operation of oil wells at large depths, down to 1,700 meters in these specific projects. “The oil/gas industry places extremely high demands on product quality, performance and service life. The agreement further strengthens Sandvik’s position as the leading supplier of advanced tubing for umbilicals in the oil/gas industry,” says Peter Gossas, President of the Sandvik Materials Technology business area.
March 29th  - Projects Bangalore Karnataka India - State-of-the-art NDT machine installed in BHEL
The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Tiruchi, has installed a state-of-the-art non-destructive testing machine at its Seamless Steel Tube Plant (SSTP), a major producer of seamless steel tubes and pipes. The new system inaugurated on Thursday by the Executive Director of BHEL, Tiruchi, A.V. Krishnan, consists of an automatic on-line Ultrasonic Testing machine with computerised technology to rule out internal defects in the entire volume of tubes manufactured by the SSTP. Supplied by the Magnetic Analysis Corporation of the U.S., the machine, which can also measure dimensional accuracy of the tubes, consists of a Rotary ultrasonic head with 16 ultrasonic transducer probes, rotating at 1200 rpm (rotations per minute). The tubes can be tested at a speed of 60 m per minute.
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March 29th  - Projects Shanghai China - Baosteel enters world UO pipe export markets as new supplier
China Baosteel Co has made its entrance into the world UO pipe export markets as a new supplier in the wake of the company successful offer to provide UO pipes for a gas pipeline project at Queensland in Australia. Baosteel is contracted to supply a total of 218,000 tonnes of X70 42 inches UO pipes for the Queensland Curtis LNG project under Queensland Gas Co part of BG Group PLC. The project is intended to lay a gas pipeline measuring 575 kilometers overall to transport coal seam methane from western Brisbane to Gladstone where the gas will be liquefied for export sales. Plans call for extracting methane from coal seams located in central Queensland.
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March 27th  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL's pipe manufacturing facilities on stream
PSL, a leader in manufacturing and coating of pipes for transporting hydrocarbon products, water products and steel structural applications, has commissioned two manufacturing facilities in Chennai and Visakhapatnam. The company has set up a 1.50 lakh tonnes worth of pipe manufacturing capabilities at its Madhuranthkam facility, near Chennai. It has also commissioned 3 lakh tonnes helical two-step Vizag pipe manufacturing facility at Visakhapatnam, says a release.
March 25th  - Projects Jubail Saudi Arabia - Despite delays, ArcelorMittals Jubail seamless tube mill will be able to break into the thriving market
SteelGuru reports that despite delays, the Jubail seamless tube mill will enable its promoters to break into the thriving market for steel products in the region. Mr Lynn Robbroeckx spokesman of ArcelorMittal said that the mill will supply products for the oil and gas industry. The focus will be on markets in the Middle East and Africa region. Two thirds of the mill’s capacity will be used to manufacture oil country tubular goods for which Saudi Aramco will be the main customer. The remaining capacity will be used to manufacture line pipes in sizes ranging from 4 inches to14 inches. Bin Jarallah Group was chosen by ArcelorMittal as its JV partner based on its experience as a local projects contractor in the kingdom. The company has been in operation since 1976 and now employs 8,000 people in offices spread across Saudi Arabia.
March 24th  - Projects Hartlepool U.K. - Tata’s Corus signs $300 mn North Sea pipes deal
Steelmaker Corus, owned by Tata Steel, today said it has signed a near 200 million pound ($299.8 million) contract to supply pipes for a North Sea gas field. Corus will provide energy companies Total and Dong with 520 km of pipes from its Hartlepool plant to develop the Laggan and Tormore gas fields. The deal will secure around 250 jobs through 2010 and into 2011 and also create 100 new positions for a year, the company said. The downturn in steel has lead to thousands of steel sector job cuts in Britain, with Corus partially mothballing the Teesside cast products plant which will result in the loss of 1,700 jobs in early 2010. "I am delighted that Corus' world-class large-diameter Hartlepool pipe facility has been recognised through the awarding of this contract," Corus Chief Executive Officer Kirby Adams said. "The securing of jobs and the creation of new ones at Hartlepool are particularly welcome." The Laggan and Tormore gas field development was given government approval last week, with Total and Dong expected to invest around 2.5 billion pounds into the project.
March 23rd  - Projects Minsk Belarus - Belarus BMZ to deliver OCTG seamless pipes to Venezuela
Belarusian news agency BelTA has reported that Byelorussian Iron and Steel Works have signed a contract for the production and delivery of oil country tubular goods to Venezuela. The first batch of 5,600 tonnes of OCTG will be shipped by May 15th 2010. Venezuela will be the company second buyer on the American continent. In February this year, BMZ delivered 2,000 tonnes of several sizes of casing for the US oil industry. The buyer, Tejas Casing Ltd, did not inspect the company as is the practice, expecting high quality from BMZ products. If the pipes perform well, the company will be able to ship up to 5,000 tonnes of pipes to the US each month.
March 10th  - Projects Kuala Lumpur - First supply contract for Technip’s new flexible pipe plant in Malaysia
Technip has been awarded by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) a flexible pipe supply contract for the Lufeng 13-1/13-2 oil fields, located in the South China Sea. Technip's operating center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will execute this contract, which includes the engineering and supply of a 6” riser, a mid water arch and a 6” flowline. Manufacturing of the flexible pipes will commence in the third quarter 2010 after completion of the factory qualification trials. Delivery is planned for February 2011. This award marks an important milestone for Technip, as it will be the first contract for commercial manufacture in its new flexible pipe plant, Asiaflex Products, located in the Tanjung Langsat industrial complex in Malaysia.
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March 9th  - Projects Aberdeen, Scotland - Technip awarded two contracts for field developments in UK North Sea
Technip has been awarded by Talisman Energy (UK) Limited two engineering, procurement and installation contracts, worth in excess of €40 million on a lump sum basis, for the development of the Auk North and Burghley fields. The fields will be tied back to Talisman's Fulmar A platform and the Premier Oil-operated Balmoral Floating Production Vessel respectively. The Auk North contract covers the fabrication and installation of a production pipeline, the installation of an umbilical*, a power cable and subsea equipment. The Burghley contract covers fabrication and installation of a production pipeline and a gas lift pipeline, as well as the installation of an umbilical and subsea structures. Both contracts include pre-commissioning and commissioning support. Technip's operating center in Aberdeen, Scotland will execute the contracts, which are scheduled to commence in the field in the second quarter of 2010. The pipelines will be welded at Technip's spoolbase in Evanton, Scotland. Two vessels from the Technip fleet will be used for the offshore installation campaign: the Orelia diving support vessel and the new pipelay vessel, Apache II.
March 9th  - Projects Serra ES Brazil - ArcelorMittal Tubarão sell excess energy to GDF SUEZ's subsidiary Tractebel
ArcelorMittal Tubarão shall reach gains of US$34 million with the sales of exceeding energy in 2010 to Tractebel and also traded in the spot market. This amount represents a growth of 62% on 2009. Self-sufficient in the production of energy since 1998, the steel producer has closed a contract of R$300 million with Tractebel for the sales of the exceeding energy up to 2011. This is a sustainable business: the energy produced is generated by the gas recovery from the production process, which, as a consequence, is not released into the atmosphere.
March 8th  - Projects Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota - Kobe steel commissions new furnaces that may revolutionize iron making
To the untrained eye, it was just a pile of metal. But a shipment of iron nuggets that arrived at Kobe Steel Limited's Tokyo head office in late January may have heralded a revolution in the world's steel industry that some are hoping will help save the planet. The unremarkable looking nuggets, each 5 to 25 millimeters in diameter, were the fruition of 15 years of research and development, originally sparked by a botched experiment by Kobe Steel workers in 1994 that does not use the blast furnaces that have dominated the industry for centuries. The new furnaces are nearly 50 times faster and can use cheaper coal and lower quality iron ore than the traditional process. Crucially, Kobe Steel says, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by about 20%. Industry insiders hope the technology can help square the circle of reducing carbon dioxide emissions while allowing rapid industrialization in emerging economies such as China and Brazil.
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March 6th  - Projects Nairobi Kenya - Toyota proposes Kenya-Juba oil pipeline bypassing Port Sudan
Toyota Tshusho Corporation has proposed to Kenyan officials to construct a 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) pipeline to transport crude oil from the landlocked South Sudan capital city to Lamu, a port on the Indian Ocean. If constructed, the pipeline would provide an alternative to the country’s only current oil exporting point, Port Sudan, potentially having major economic and political implications on the whole of Sudan. The idea was presented before in 2006 by Kenya Pipeline Corporation officials to Southern Sudan government officials. They said that Kenya’s regional position would give Southern Sudan unparalleled advantage in lead-time and sealing important business deals.
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March 1st  - Projects Brookfield Pennsylvania - Russian pipe maker Plans $10 million plant expansion confirms reports of new local jobs
It’s a done deal. Pipe maker Ultra Premium Oilfield Services’ owner said Tuesday it will settle in Brookfield and create up to 120 jobs. TMK IPSCO, owner of Ultra Premium, made the announcement less than 24 hours after Ohio granted the company tax credits valued at $872,000 if it located in a closed pipe plant in Brookfield. The plant had operated under Sharon Tube Co. but it was closed shortly after Wheatland Tube Co. bought Sharon Tube. TMK said it plans to produce up to 100,000 tons of threaded pipe annually. Production is expected to begin in the coming months, the company said. TMK will spend $10 million to expand the plant. Vicki Avril, TMK president and CEO, said the new plant is in direct response to the growing demand for natural gas exploration at Marcellus Shale well sites. The geological formation is believed to contain an enormous supply of natural gas covering a wide swath of Appalachia in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. TMK IPSCO is a division of Russian parent company TMK. The company touts itself as one of the world’s largest oil and gas pipe producers and the market leader of the Russian pipe industry. In a Monday story about the plant, News Media incorrectly indicated Wheatland Tube Co. President Bill Kerins said that Wheatland Tube does not produce products for Marcellus Shale wells. The company does produce products for the natural gas exploration industry but he expects the TMK venture will have product types, sizes and special chemistries outside of Wheatland Tube’s range. Bill Strimbu, president of Strimbu Trucking which is a neighbor to the plant was excited about the prospects of a new industrial customer. “This is the best news Brookfield has had for years,’’ Strimbu said. Last week V&M Star Steel sealed a deal to build a $650 million pipe plant expansion in Youngstown.
February 22nd  - Projects Gaborone Botswana - Steel pipe plant to be built in Palapye
In an effort to diversify the country's economy, Botswana Development Corporation has financed the establishment of a steel pipe factory in Palapye, which is envisaged to create 200 jobs. Responding to BOPA questionnaire, Ms Boitshwarelo Lebang Botswana Development Corporation's principal public affairs officer said that clearing of the ground has commenced which will be followed by the civil engineering works (earthworks) and construction of the building. She said that all these will be carried out during this month and construction is expected to be completed by July 2010. Ms Lebang said that Palapye was chosen due to its geographical location with access to sufficient electricity and A1 highway for ease of transport as well as access to South Africa through Martins Drift and Zambia Zimbabwe through Francistown. She explained that from their market research, studies on past imports and projected projects within the next 10 years, they foresee having enough market for their products locally as well as for export. Ms Lebang said that BDC could participate in a project either through equity or loan financing and in this case BDC has participated as a loan financier. The owners are a Chinese company, Huludao Seven Star International Investment Group Co Limited which owns 90% shares and a citizen of Botswana with 10%. The BDC is also working on other commercial projects nationally and in the Central District. Still in Palapye the corporation has embarked on a glass manufacturing project. Ms Lebang recently told BOPA that the project, a JV between the state owned BDC (43%) and Chinese firm Shanghai Fengyue Glass Company (57%), is envisaged to create between 350 and 400 permanent jobs. She said that the project is massive, with a total project cost of over BWP 500 million. She added that research and financial projections do indicate that the project has the ability to generate a substantial turnover.
February 17th  - Projects Lima Peru - Government of Peru seeks $5 Billion for pipe and cable related infrastructure projects
Peru is seeking about $5 billion of private investment to develop the country’s infrastructure, including $2.3 billion in energy projects.The government plans to seek bids for $2 billion of energy, transport, and irrigation projects this year, said Jorge Leon, the head of the country’s private investment promotion agency, Proinversion. Projects include a 500-kilovolt transmission line in southern Peru that may require $450 million of investment, and two 200-kilovolt lines that may total $70 million, he said. The government is also studying a $1.3 billion pipeline to supply natural gas to cities between Ayacucho in the central Andes and the northern port of Chimbote. The government plans to secure the gas for the pipeline from the Camisea fields in the southern Amazon jungle, Leon said. “We could offer the pipeline contract this year, depending on how the studies go,” Leon told reporters today in Lima. “Infrastructure is the primary vehicle for Peru’s development.” The government is seeking private investment in 50 projects, including $461 million in ports, $371 million in telecommunications, $237 million in airports and $609 million in irrigation, Leon said.
February 17th  - Projects Paris France - Vallourec to set up seamless tube mill at Youngstown
World leader in premium tubular solutions Vallourec announced that it will build a new state of the art small diameter rolling mill at Youngstown in Ohio in USA. This decision is supported by the long term development of unconventional gas production in the US which is driving increased demand for small diameter OCTG tubes. The new mill, which will initially produce 350,000 tonnes per year, provides an annual nominal rolling capacity of 500,000 tonnes of seamless tubes. The project includes heat treatment and threading facilities. The investment will amount to USD 650 million, with operations expected to start by the fourth quarter 2011. The project will create around 350 new direct jobs.
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February 8th  - Projects Lianyungang China - Chinese companies plans copper smelter and rod mill
According to a report on the Lianyungang government website three copper products firms are looking to jointly build an 800,000 tonne-a-year copper smelter in China's eastern port city of Lianyungang in Jiangsu province, sources familiar with the plan said on Friday. The project would include smelter and semi-finished copper products production facilities.. Total investment was seen at 12 billion yuan, with a first phase of 400,000 tonnes of refined copper, the website said, without giving a startup date. The project still needs central government approval. "It will be official only after the project is approved," said a source with direct knowledge of the plan, who asked not to be named. If built, the smelter would be completed in two equal phases, with the first phase of 400,000 tonnes to be done three years after the approval, he said. The first phase could boost the China's smelting capacity by 8 percent in 2013, based on an estimate by state research group Antaike, which predicts China's copper smelting capacity to rise to 4.73 million tonnes in 2013 from 3.55 million tonnes this year and 3.21 million tonnes in 2009. The project requires approval from the state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission. The firms include Tiandilong Group in Yixing city in Jiangsu, which has an annual capacity of 250,000 tonnes of copper rods, and Hong Kong's Pan Asian Oasis, which trades and invests in cables and metals resources in China and overseas. The third firm is expected to be a power cable and wire producer in southeast Asia.
February 6th  - Projects Johor Malaysia - EEW steel pipe plant to open today
Malaysian National News Agency Bernama reported that Johor's plan to become the region's leading oil and gas hub by 2025 will receive a major boost with the opening of a specialty steel pipe manufacturing plant on February 6th 2010. The MYR 250 million investment by Erndtebrucker Eisenwerk GmbH & Co KG is the first of several major new investments in the state's oil and gas sector. EEW, which has four other production facilities in Germany, Brazil and South Korea, with a combined annual production of 500,000 tonnes, is a world leader in large diameter carbon and stainless steel pipes for the oil and gas industry. Mr Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman is scheduled to open the plant, located on an 8.1 hectare site in the Tanjung Langsat Industrial Park. Johor has secured more than MYR 50 billion in new foreign direct investments in the oil and gas sector and EEW is among the first to begin operations since late last year. The company is a JV with Dynac Sdn Bhd, which is a Malaysian oil and gas firm, which also has a production facility in Tanjung Langsat.
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February 4th  - Projects Chesterfield Missouri - Boomerang Tube will invest in Texas plant
Backers of Chesterfield-based Boomerang Tube LLC will invest $200 million to establish a manufacturing plant in Texas. The funds are being provided by Access Industries, a New York-based firm led by Russian-American tycoon Len Blatnavik. The firm has owned most of the shares of Boomerang Tube since May 2008. The plant on the outskirts of Houston will be able to produce about $600 million a year worth of steel casing and tubings used by the North American oil and natural gas industry. Operations are expected to begin in August. The plant will employ 350 people. The cost of the plant is $153 million, Boomerang Tube said. Additional funds will be used for startup expenses and working capital.
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January 26th  - Projects Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China - Marcegalia’s builds new steel-tube mill in Yangzhou
The mill will produce 350,000 tons of stainless, carbon precision and cold drawn steel tubes per year for use in the construction, appliance, engineering-component and energy markets. Phase 1 of the project is scheduled to start in June 2010 and Phase 2 in 2011. Praxair China, plans to build a nitrogen plant adjacent to the tube mill and integrate its patented direct-injection technology.
January 25th  - Projects Osaka Japan - Marubeni Itochu bags major pipe orders from Epic Energy
Marubeni Itochu Steel Inc has been awarded a line pipe order for about 97,000 tonnes of API X70 ERW for the SWQP Stage 3 Expansion Project operated by Epic Energy in Australia. The SWQP (including the QSN Link) is a c.935 kilometers pipeline from Wallumbilla in Queensland to Moomba in South Australia. Epic Energy’s Stage 3 Expansion Project, involving the construction of a new 450mm diameter pipeline adjacent to the existing SWQP, allows Epic Energy to more than double its gas transportation capacity on the SWQP, and meet increasing gas demand in the southern States of Australia. Total line pipe demand for the project is about 97,000 tonnes. Marubeni Itochu Steel Inc will source the line pipe from JFE Steel Corporation, OneSteel and Orrcon and coat the pipes in Indonesia and Australia, followed by arranging the in land logistic trucking of the coated pipes to the 12 stocking piles in pipeline route. Marubeni Itochu Steel Inc proposed the combination of the Japanese and local products, considering the local content and also proposed the extensive scope of works including the coating and in land logistics, which were positively evaluated by Epic Energy. Marubeni Itochu Steel Inc continues to provide the valuable supply chain management service with clients and to be dedicated to oil & gas development projects.
January 14th  - Projects Zurich, Switzerland, - ABB wins Electrical and automation technology order in new ArcelorMittal Saudi Arabia plant.
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order to provide electrical and automation equipment and related services for a new seamless-tube mill and pipe production plant in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The project is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and the Saudi-based Bin Jarallah Group.“Our expertise in the metals industry and strong local presence in the region were key factors in winning this important order,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “Our reliable and energy-efficient technologies, along with our experience in project execution, will help the new plant to operate effectively from the start.” ABB will deliver electrical infrastructure and equipment, including a 115 kilovolt gas-insulated switchgear substation, medium- and low-voltage switchgear, motors and variable-speed drives. The scope of supply also includes an automation system based on ABB’s Extended Automation System 800xA for order management, production scheduling, storage management, production and quality reporting, and material tracking. In addition, ABB will provide engineering, installation, commissioning, operator training, and other related services for the project.
December 23rd  - Projects Pittsburgh Pennsylvania - Alcoa in US$ 11 Billion deal to develop Saudi Arabia aluminum sector
Alcoa announced Monday it has formed a joint venture with Ma’aden, the Saudi Arabian Mining Company, to develop a fully integrated, world-class aluminum industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will become the world's preeminent and lowest-cost supplier of primary aluminum, alumina and aluminum products, with access to the growing markets of the Middle East and beyond.
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December 16th  - Projects Mantova Italy - Marcegaglia's new Chinese tube facility ready in H2.
Italian tube producer Marcegaglia's new Chinese tube production plant in the Yangzhou region, near Shanghai, is expected to commence production operations in the second half of 2010 The building facility and the offices will be ready by the end of January, to be followed by the installation of equipment. The new plant will cover a a surface area of 700,000 square meters and will be able to produce 350,000 mt of tubes per year, 20,000 of which will consist of stainless steel tubes. The scheduled annual turnover will be worth around €450,000, with about 650 workers employed. The provisional investment in the plant stands at €150 million. Production will include ERW tubes made from HRC, cold drawn tubes for automotive application, cooling tubes made from CRC and stainless steel tubes. With this investment Marcegaglia will focus on emerging markets in Asia and the Pacific with a special eye on China.
December 10th  - Projects Fremont California - 10 Brush Wellman Inc. Electrofusion Products Group supplies Beryllium Beam Pipes for European Particle Collider
As the world’s largest particle accelerator prepares to recreate the conditions just after the Big Bang, which many scientists theorize was the massive explosion that formed the universe, teams of physicists around the world will be relying on beryllium beam pipes from Brush Wellman Inc.’s Electrofusion Products Inc. group in Fremont, California, to ensure high energy collisions of subatomic particles that they hope will change the very nature of their understanding of physics. The $10 billion Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located 100 meters underground near Geneva, is a particle accelerator through which two beams of subatomic particles called “hadrons” will travel in opposite directions inside a 17-mile tunnel, gaining energy as they go. When the beams collide, physicists will analyze the particles created by the collisions.
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December 7th  - Projects Mills Wyoming - W.L. Plastics building pipe plant in Kentucky
High density polyethylene pipe maker W.L. Plastics Corp. is building a new extrusion facility in Elizabethtown, Ky. set to come online in the spring, according to the Elizabeth/Hardin County Industrial Foundation. W.L. extrudes smooth-wall pressure pipe for the natural gas, water, sewer and irrigation markets, among others. The plant, sitting on 17 acres, will employ about 40, according to a news release. The company has pipe-making facilities at its headquarters in Mills, plus in plants in Gillette, Wyo.; Cedar City, Utah; Bowie, Texas; and Crossfield, Alberta. W.L. Director Mike Dahl could not be reached for comment. Perhaps more than any other building product industry, the plastic pipe market has been active in 2009, in terms of companies gearing up for the construction industry’s revival. Several pipe makers, of various materials, and serving various end markets, have added capacity this year.
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December 2nd  - Projects Monclova Mexico - Chinese owned Copper tube plant opens in Mexico to sell into the U.S.
North American copper tubing buyers have a new regional supplier now that Chinese company Golden Dragon has opened a $100 million plant in Monclova. The plant in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila currently has annual capacity of 60,000 tons of copper tubes for air conditioners but plans to boost the annual capacity to 120,000 tons in 2010. The Xinhua news agency quotes Li Changjie, the Golden Dragon CEO, saying the Monclova plant is part of a global strategy to market copper tubing in U.S., Canada and Mexico and into Europe. Based in Xinxiang in China's Hunan province, Golden Dragon already has gross sales of more than $2 billion worldwide.
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November 30th  - Projects Tallin Estonia - November 30 Controversial pipeline given green light to move forward
Nord Stream, a 7.4 billion euro pipeline that would pump natural gas from Russia to Germany and bypass Ukraine, cleared its last major regulatory hurdle on Nov. 5 when Sweden and Finland both gave the go-ahead to a project that could redraw Europe’s energy map, reports The Wall Street Journal. The two countries’ governments said they had granted consent for the pipeline to pass through their exclusive economic zones in the Baltic sea. Denmark approved the project on Oct. 22.
November 16th  - Projects Milan Italy - Prysmian commits to further investment in Brazil
Prysmian expects to invest around $180 million in its cable/pipeline manufacturing operations in Brazil during 2009-10, taking its total outlay in the country in recent years to $270 million. The company allocated $45 million in 2007 to a new plant in Vila Velha to manufacture offshore oil and gas umbilicals, and next year plans to start producing flexible pipes at further new facilities nearby, employing 100 people.
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November 10th  - Projects Mumbai India - Finally, Tata Steel gets land in Vietnam for $5-billion project
After two years of waiting, Tata Steel will get alternative land in Vietnam for building a 4.5 million tonne a year steel plant with an investment of $5 billion. The board of Vung Anh Economic Park has proposed allocation of 725 hectares to Tata Steel and its Vietnamese partners in the central province of Ha Tinh. Tata Steel’s spokesperson told Business Standard the proposal had been accepted by the company. Under the proposal, 700 hectares would be used for construction of a steel plant with a designed capacity of 4.5 million tonnes a year, Indronil Sengupta, Tata Steel’s executive manager of projects in Southeast Asia told Vietnamese media. The Indian steel maker has a 65 per cent stake in the venture, while Vietnam’s Steel Corporation and Vietnam Cement Industries Corporation hold 30 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.
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November 7th  - Projects Luxembourg - Funding for ArcelorMittal seamless steel tube mill JV in Saudi
MEED reported that Luxembourg based steel company ArcelorMittal will complete fundraising for its SAR 2.5 billion seamless steel tube mill in November. According to bankers working on the project said that local institutions will provide the financing for the project and the Saudi Industrial Development Fund is making a contribution which has not been disclosed yet. ArcelorMittal began approaching local banks in May. Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank and Samba are lending money to the project. It is being developed at Jubail on the kingdom’s east coast. A banker involved in the project said that “There is a lot of liquidity in the Saudi banks at the moment so projects looking for funding domestically are attracting a lot of interest.” The plant is JV between ArcelorMittal and the kingdom’s Bin Jarallah Group. ArcelorMittal wants to build a seamless tube steel mill with capacity of 600,000 tonnes per year. The plant will supply pipes for the oil industry and it will open in 2011. ArcelorMittal said that Saudi Aramco has agreed to buy some of the plant’s output. It will hold 51% stake in the project and Bin Jarallah will hold 49%. The plant will be the second seamless tube mill in the GCC.
November 3rd  - Projects Mumbai India - ArcelorMittal eyes new sites for steel plants
The world’s largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, which registered a net profit of $ 903 million after posting losses for three consecutive quarters, said on Wednesday that it is looking at alternative sites in Orissa and Jharkhand for its steel projects. Lakshmi N Mittal, chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal, during a conference call to announce the company’s third quarter results, said, “We being a global company, would not limit ourselves from exploring options in other states. However, as of now, we are focusing only on Orissa and Jharkhand.” When asked whether the company will look at other states like Karnataka and if talks were held with the state government, Mittal replied, “I wouldn’t know as the company’s officials in India would be dealing with it.”
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October 23rd  - Projects Port Kembla Australia - MMK future looks positive: millions to be spent on machinery
Port Kembla copper manufacturer MM Kembla will invest in $11.6 million worth of new machinery, signalling its plans to continue its Illawarra operations long-term. The company presently leases older versions of the equipment, a copper billet caster and furnace, on an adjacent site owned by Japanese company Furukawa. But the lease is expiring and Furukawa plan to demolish the equipment and remediate the site for sale. MM Kembla's board has approved the company's contribution of the majority of the funds for the new billet caster and furnace, while the State Government announced yesterday it will fund the balance. The office of State Development minister Ian Macdonald declined to reveal the amount to be contributed by the Government through its Industry and Investment program, for reasons of commercial confidentiality. "The new billet caster will allow MMK to produce billets for copper tube manufacturing and to also recycle scrap copper," Mr Macdonald said. "This project will retain 199 direct existing jobs at MMK and bring $11.6 million in new investment to Port Kembla. MM Kembla employs 199 people in the tube mill which utilises the machinery. Another 100 are employed in its rod and wire division at Port Kembla.
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October 8th  - Projects Mexico City Mexico - Techint to invest USD 800 million to enhance capacity in Mexico
Bloomberg reports that Techint Group, the parent company of seamless steel tube maker Tenaris SA, will invest USD 800 million to double capacity at a steel plant in Mexico. Mr Paolo Rocca president of Techint said that demand for seamless steel tubes for carrying oil and gas is forecast to rise as oil companies resume investment.
October 3rd  - Projects New York City - Gas transmission line, costing over $200M, proposed for Bradford, Sullivan counties
The Central New York Oil & Gas Co. is planning to spend over $200 million to construct a 40-mile natural gas transmission line that would travel through southeastern Bradford County and eastern Sullivan County, an official from the Central Bradford Progress Authority said. The line, which is called the MARC 1 Hub Line, would transport natural gas produced in southeastern Bradford County and eastern Sullivan County to market, said Brian Driscoll, the economic development manager of the Central Bradford Progress Authority. "It's the first (transmission) line dedicated to bringing gas from the Marcellus Shale to market," Driscoll said.
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September 30th  - Projects Youngstown Ohio - Council votes on proposed $970 million expansion by V&M Star Steel
After weeks of discussions and debate, Girard City Council is poised to tonight approve an agreement with Youngstown that provides a critical component for a proposed $970 million expansion V&M Star Steel is considering in the Mahoning Valley. The agreement, if approved, would permit the adjustment of the two cites’ borders, incorporating 190 acres of land located in Girard into the city of Youngstown. The border adjustment has been requested by V&M officials, who are considering land adjacent to its Youngstown mill, as well as other sites, for the expansion of its pipe and mill operations. Under the agreement, the two cities would split new tax revenues generated by the project. The new pipe and tube mill is expected to employ 300 workers once completed, as well as generate hundreds in construction and spin-off jobs. V&M is expected to make its decision later this year or in early 2010.
September 26th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Russia to invest to build big-bore monolete steel tube workshops
Russia’s Economic Development Department and Committee have adopted the resolution to grant 5bln rupees of national guarantee for Chelyabinsk Rolled Tube Company to obtain 10billion rupees of loan. The leader of the company stated that the loan will be used to invest to build the big-bore monolete steel tube workshop and basic production. Building the big-bore monolete steel tube workshop is a part of metallurgical industrial development strategy by 2020 confirmed by Russia Industry and Trade Department's investment to Russia's metallurgical enterprises. In June 13, 2009, Russia's levying 8% special duty on China's big-bore monolete steel tube took effect, and this decree is expired on December 21, 2009.
September 23rd  - Projects New Delhi India - Dana Group to expand into Indian steel market
DANA Group under it’s continuous expansion plan has announced an investment of AED 150 million for its Pre-Engineered Building Manufacturing & Tube Mill project in NCR region, New Delhi India. Dana Group's new initiative is meant to cater to the ongoing infrastructure works & strong domestic in North India, as well as the Middle East export Market. DANA Group’s New Venture called as DANA INDUSTRIES will have a most modern manufacturing setup, with a full fledged Plate cutting Line capable of handling coils up to max thickness of 18mm, and a max width of 2000mm. The max coil handling is up to 30 MT. This will be forward integrated with a modern PEB manufacturing line, to develop a word class-engineering product. Dana Group’s officials state that under the Tube Mill project a High speed, High Precision ERW pipe manufacturing line will be commissioned by End of November 2009. With capabilities of making pipes & hollow sections up to 4 inches, it is intended to cater principally to the Government Public works Sector, and also various fabricators in that region.
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September 21st  - Projects Oslo Norway - Goliat subsea production system contract let
Eni Norge AS awarded Aker Solutions a 2.3 billion kroner contract for delivering a production system for Goliat field in the Barents Sea, off Norway. The contract involves the engineering, procurement, and construction of a subsea production system that includes eight overtrawlable four-slot subsea templates with manifolds, 24 subsea trees, subsea control systems, 20 km of steel tube umbilicals, workover equipment, and a tie-in and connection system. Aker Solutions will manufacture much of the equipment in Norway including the subsea trees at Tranby, steel tube umbilicals at Moss, and templates and manifolds at the Egersund yard. It will manufacture the subsea control systems in Aberdeen, and manage the project from its head office at Fornebu, Norway.
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September 18th  - Projects Beijing China - Jingyi Metal aiming up to USD 68 million through IPO
Interfax of China reported that Guangdong Jingyi Metal Company Limited announced that it is looking to raise CNY 468 million through its initial public offering on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on September 15th 2009. Jingyi Metal plans to issue up to 36 million shares and of the funds raised CNY 258.45 million will be used to build 2 high precision copper tube lines with a total production capacity of 30,000 tonnes per annum, CNY 73.72 million will be invested into a copper tube deep processing project with a production capacity of 5,000 tonnes per annum and CNY 67.28 million will be plowed into a metal processing equipment project.Jingyi Metal currently has an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes of high precision copper tube and 3,000 tonnes of deep processed copper tube products. The company generated revenue of CNY 1.86 billion in 2008 down 9.61% from the previous year and posted a net profit drop of 2.44% on an annual basis to CNY 54.62 million.
August 13th  - Projects Osaka Japan - Maruichi to promote Vietnam pipe plant project
Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd. an ERW Tube producer in Osaka is endeavoring to promote its tube project in Northern Vietnam, planning to produce tube steel with 5-7.6 inches in diameter used for construction industry and motorcycle framework.According to the previous report, it is confirmed in March that the company intended to build up a factory in Northern Vietnam, which is run by Vietnam's subsidiary company, Sunsco. Although at that time, Maruich firmly stated that the details of this project was still uncertain, but now told to Nikkei News that the initial monthly production of factory (near Hanoi) was 3,000 tons, which was put into operation in June 2010.
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August 8th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Vyksa deliveries large diameter pipes to Nord Stream
The Russian pipe manufacturer OMK announced that they already delivered more than 200,000 tons large diameter pipes for natural gas pipeline to Nord Stream from their pipe mill Vyksa. The pipe diameter is 1,219mm with wall thickness 30.9mm, 34.6mm and 41mm. Grade K70 X60. The pipes are three anti-rust coating. It is reported that Vyska expects to deliver 262,600 tons pipe till November, which take 25 percent share of the pipeline project. The contract between OMK and Nord Stream has been signed on 6th, November 2007. Now, OMK are bid the second natural gas pipe of Nord Stream and expects to get the bid. They will produce the pipe in March, 2010. The Nord Stream natural gas pipeline will be 1220 kilometers long and connect EU and Russia.
August 1st  - Projects Beijing China - CITIC Pacific special steel projects may be cancelled
Beijing Time reported that CITIC Pacific Ltd one of major special steel producers in China will possibly see its special steel projects, valued at CNY 20 billion, be stranded amid the anti dumping investigations. This July, the European Commission announced the anti dumping investigations into China made seamless steel tubes. Chinese steelmakers, lead by the China Iron and Steel Association will make a response to the investigations. Insider disclosed that the Hong Kong listed company has three steel plants, respectively located in Jiangying of Jiangsu Province, Huangshi of Hubei Province, and Shijiangzhuang of Hebei Province. It is making preliminary preparations for these projects.
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July 23rd  - Projects Houston Texas - Major pipeline project moves ahead
A major expansion of a natural gas transmission pipeline that crisscrosses Wayne County is moving ahead as scheduled, said a company spokesperson. El Paso Corp., of Houston, TX, will build a second pipeline - next to a pre-existing one - which will enhance transmission capacity for natural gas to better serve energy markets and to parlay off a burgeoning natural gas extraction market already underway in the Commonwealth and in the region. The line, also known as the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, cuts across the state’s northern tier and all of Wayne County, generally north of Waymart and Honesdale.
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July 18th  - Projects Beijing China - Jinchuan to complete copper nickel alloy plant by 2009 end
Platts reported that China's Jinchuan Group expects to complete a new 60,000 tonnes per annum copper nickel alloy pipe, rod and extrusion plant by end of 2009. Of the 60,000 tonnes per annum of new output, 32,500 tonnes per annum will be copper alloy rods and wire rods, 15,800 tonnes per annum white copper pipes, 10,700 tonnes per annum brass and purple pipes and 1,000 tonnes per annum extrusion products. A Jinchuan official said that "Installation of new production facilities are underway that are scheduled to be completed by year end and future output will be both for sales within China and for export." He added that the output will be used in shipbuilding, desalination, galvanizing, electrical appliances, automobile and military applications.
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July 16th  - Projects Pittsburg Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania American Water to spend $1.8 million upgrading Camp Hill pipes
American Water will this week begin a $1.8 million upgrade to water mains, pipes and fire hydrants in Camp Pennsylvania Hill. Upgrades will start with replacement of two-inch galvanized steel pipe along North 29th Street between Market and Chestnut streets with new eight-inch iron pipe, the company said in a news release. Recently, more than 3,000 feet of 12-inch iron pipe and new fire hydrants on North 24th Street between Market Street and the Camp Hill Bypass, replacing four-inch cast iron main were installed. New eight- and 12-inch iron water mains will be installed along the following streets: Yale Avenue between 22nd and Chestnut streets; Princeton Avenue between Pennsylvania Avenue and South 21st Street; South 19th Street between Chestnut and Columbia streets and South 21st Street near the Camp Hill Bypass.
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July 16th  - Projects Ankara Turkey - Transit states ease tension on Nabucco pipeline
The planned Nabucco pipeline to bring natural gas from the Caspian region to the European Union, described as a "new silk road" for energy, will pass its first great test on Monday with the signing of a formal agreement between the governments along its 3,300km route.The hugely ambitious project has been mired in political wrangling, with Turkey, where the pipeline will start, demanding 15 per cent of Nabucco's gas.But now a compromise has been found to break the deadlock, and Turkey will sign the intergovernmental agreement that Nabucco needs to proceed.
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July 11th  - Projects Harare Zimbabwe - City embarks on ambitious and much needed pipe project
The City of Harare has embarked on a massive pipe replacement programme in a bid to cut leakages accounting for the loss of almost half of all treated water.Distribution and customer services manager for Harare Engineer Hosiah Chisango said services would soon improve after Government last week gave the council more than US$17million for that explicit purpose. He said council had been losing 40 percent of treated water through leakages and vandalism. "Water has been gushing out of burst pipes, flooding parts of the town at a time many people are battling with water problems. "These will be problems of the past once we finish our programme," Eng Chisango said. He said the money from Government would be put to good use.
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July 10th  - Projects Mumbai India - Gremach Infra board OKs setting up steel pipe units
Gremach Infrastructure Equipments & Projects Ltd said on Thursday its board has approved setting up three special purpose vehicles in western and southern India to make steel pipes. The total capacity of these SPVs, to be set up in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, would be 600,000 tonnes, it said in a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange, but did not give details of investment. "In the next 5-10 years, saw pipe products will be a big business for the company and the company expects substantial revenues to flow from these diversified products," it said.
July 3rd  - Projects Sandvik Sweden - Sandvik signs agreement for delivery of steam generator tubes valued at SEK 2 billion
Sandvik Materials Technology has signed a multi-year delivery contract for steam generator tubes for the nuclear power industry. The contract is valued at more than SEK 2 billions, and deliveries will begin in the end of 2013. The customer is the French company AREVA NP SAS, and the steam generator tubes will be used in nuclear power plants all over the world. “The nuclear power industry places extremely high demands on product quality and performance. This agreement strengthens Sandviks’ position as a leading supplier of steam generator tubes for the rapidly expanding nuclear power industry,” says Peter Gossas, President of the Sandvik Materials Technology business area.
June 22nd  - Projects Monfalcone, Italy - Italia's Eurogroup Opens a New Tube Factory in Nova Pazova
The Serbian Investment and Promotion Agency (SIEPA) stated that the Italian company Eurogroup will open a new € 10 million tube factory, Jugotub. Eurogroup S.p.A. was founded in 1998, its main target to achieve an important position in the market for “T” welded beams (ready for the assembly on the hulls of the ships). Eurogroup is based in Monfalcone, Italy. The project Eurogroup S.p.A. is based on innovative managerial and production technologies. Currently the production of the company is of approximately 1500/2000 tons/month of welded profiles for ships and structural components. (basements, panels, engine platforms)
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June 19th  - Projects Beijing, China - China Plans Oil and Gas Pipeline to Myanmar
China begins lying a gigantic 1,100 km long gas and oil pipeline to Myanmar in September; the official media said a day before the visit of Burmese leaders beginning Wednesday. It will cut transportation costs by shortening the journey for crude from the Middle East and Africa. The move has serious strategic and political implications for both India and China, which has vetoed every United Nations resolution against Myanmar. It comes soon after China beat India in winning a 30-year concession from Yangoon's military junta besides launching construction of hydroelectric dams in that country. The announcement was made in the official media immediately before Maung Aye left Nay Pyi Taw, the second ranking military ruler of Myanmar, was scheduled to land in Beijing on a six-day visit on Tuesday. The visit follows Myammar prime minister's General Thein Sein meeting with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao last April when the two discussed issues of cooperation in oil, gas and other economic areas.
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June 18th  - Projects Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - Trinidad Plans Extensions to Pipeline
Trinidad plans to expand a pipeline to Barbados amid plans to move forward with $155 million in investments for pipeline development with its island of Tobago. The government said it is waiting on word from the Barbados government to extend pipelines there while it moves ahead with its own plans to develop a pipeline between the two islands by 2011. Barbados, for its part, announced in 2007 open bidding on 26 offshore oil and gas blocks as it hopes to develop its national hydrocarbon potential. Barbados produces only 1,100 barrels per day from domestic production of onshore wells. The national oil company sells its crude to Trinidad and Tobago for refinement, which Barbados then buys back.
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June 18th  - Projects Vancouver, B.C. - Yalian Steel to Construct Production plant with a C$27.5 million credit
Steel pipe producer Yalian Steel Corp. has secured a C$27.5 million credit line that will help in the construction of a plant in Yangzhou, located in Jiangsu province in China. The Vancouver-based company said Wednesday the deal is a three-year term and carries an interest rate of 5.4 per cent with the Agricultural Bank of China. It will be secured by land use rights and/or other physical assets, as required. Yalian Steel has drawn an initial $6.5 million to fund the final phase of the production plant. It will produce welded steel pipe used for the energy pipelines market in China. The plant is designed to produce 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes of steel pipe a year, but is expected to have an annual output of only 110,000 tonnes during its first year.
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June 12th  - Projects Stavanger, Norway - Aker Solutions Signs Subsea EPC Contract
Aker Solutions has been awarded an EPC contract by DONG E&P Norge, as operator of the Oselvar field, to deliver a complete subsea production system to the North Sea field development. Contract value is approximately NOK 350 million, Aker Solutions reports. A similar EPC contract, for the Trym field, was signed between Aker Solutions and DONG E&P Norge in March his year. The Oselvar job is a contract option to the Trym agreement. The Oselvar contract is subject to Norwegian government approval of the plan for development and operation (PDO).
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June 8th  - Projects Vancouver Washington - Northwest Pipe eyes $7 Million order
Northwest Pipe Co.said it has received a letter of intent from Slayden Construction Group, Inc. of Stayton, Oregon to supply around $7 million worth of pipe for the Juniper Ridge hydroelectric power project in Central Oregon. Under the deal, Northwest Pipe will supply around 14,000 feet of 108" steel pipe valued at around $7 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the company's Portland, Oregon facility with delivery scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2009.
May 9th  - Projects Sandviken Sweden - Sandvik expands capacity for steam generator tubes
Sandvik Materials Technology has decided to significantly increase capacity for the production of high-alloy steam generator tubes to meet the growing demand from the nuclear power industry. The capacity expansion will be progressively implemented at the plant in Sandviken and the first phase is scheduled to go on stream at the beginning of 2010. "These investments strengthen Sandvik~{!/~}s position as a leading supplier of steam generator tubes to the rapidly growing nuclear power industry," says Peter Gossas, President of business area Sandvik Materials Technology.
April 29th  - Projects Shanghai, China - Baosteel wins 4,200 tonnes of oil drill pipe orders from ONGC
It is reported that Baosteel Singapore PTE Ltd has lately won a great number of orders to provide 4,200 tonnes of oil drill pipes for ONGC, which lays a solid foundation for its further development in Southeast and South Asia markets. As the largest India state-owned oil and natural gas company ONGC ranks 20th among the global publicly listed energy companies and the top 500 global corporations. In recent years, Baosteel has continuously increased the supply volume for ONGC, up more than 12,000 tonnes of oil pipe products in 2007 and 2008.
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April 20th  - Projects Tulsa Oklahoma - Central Tube & Bar grows
While many companies are scaling back, business is up at Central Tube & Bar Inc. The Conway, Arkansas based parent invests $1.5 million. in new equipment and personnel are producing results. Central Tube & Bar rode into Tulsa four years ago working exclusively with school-bus manufacturer IC of Oklahoma LLC, but managers were convinced that the plant would need a boost to thrive. A year ago, when the economy was starting to show signs of weakness, the small Conway, Arkansas.based company decided to invest about $1.5 million in new equipment, said Tulsa plant general manager Jene Harmon. At that time, about 90 percent of Central Tube's work came from IC of Oklahoma, which makes school buses in Tulsa and in Arkansas. Across the country and Oklahoma, manufacturers are cutting back because of lean times.
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April 7th  - Projects Monchengladbach Germany - SMS Meer receives order for World's largest rod and tube extrusion press.
SMS Meer, Mönchengladbach, an SMS group company in Düsseldorf, received an order for the supply of a total of four extrusion presses to the People's Republic of China from Shandong Yankuang Light Alloy Co. Ltd. In the presence of Chen Deming, the Chinese Minister for Trade, a contract was signed by Yan Jitai, the President of Shandong Yankuang Light Alloy Co.Ltd., and Ulrich Vohskämper, Head of the Hydraulic Presses Division, SMS Meer, within the framework of the German-Chinese Economic Forum held at the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft in Berlin. SMS Meer will be supplying four extrusion presses for the manufacture of aluminum sections and seamless aluminum tubes to Shandong Yankuang Light Alloy Co. Ltd. The presses will work with press forces of 36 MN, 55 MN, 82 MN and 150 MN. The latter will be the world's largest modern rod and tube extrusion press. The facilities are to be installed in the aluminum extrusion plant currently under construction in Jining, approx. 200 km south of Jinan in the Province of Shandong. Upon completion, the plant will have a production capacity of approx. 130,000 t of aluminum sections per year.
March 31st  - Projects Santiago Chile - Anglo American starts giant expansion of its Los Bronces copper mine
Anglo American has sufficient cash flow to fund giant multibillion-dollar copper projects in Chile. In an interview with Reuters ahead of the annual CRU/CESCO copper conference in Chile, Anglo American Chile Chief Executive Miguel Angel Duran said copper prices, slightly recovered from a sharp drop late last year, should hold current levels for the rest of the year. Duran said, however, that copper prices, near $1.80 per lb compared to levels over $4 in July last year, were in line with company expectations on the heels of the global economic crisis that sent demand plummeting. "We have no special concerns about cash flow requirements," Duran said at his offices in the Chilean capital Santiago. "We more or less planned for scenarios like the ones we have today for the rest of the year." Anglo American will start work on a giant expansion at its Los Bronces copper mine in Chile later this year. The company sees the cost of the expansion at between $2.2 billion and $2.5 billion, up from $1.74 billion when it was first proposed. Duran said Anglo American will likely start to boost copper output around 2011, largely thanks to new output from Los Bronces and from Collahuasi, the mine it owns in conjunction with Xstrata Copper..
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March 26th  - Projects Moscow Russia - ChTPZ provides large diameter steel pipes for BPS-2
Russia’s ChTPZ Group has announced that in the second quarter of this year, its subsidiary company, Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant will provide the large diameter steel pipes to Transneft's Baltic Pipeline System-2 for the second oil pipe transportation line construction project. According to the agreement, ChTPZ will ship 29,000 tonnes of large diameter steel pipes to Transneft; those pipes have been designed for transportation usage from Russia to Europe and US market. Also, ChTPZ will provide about 9,000 tonnes of steel pipe to Transneft for maintenance and protection usage.
March 19th  - Projects Kiev Ukraine - Interpipe supplies casing pipes to the Syrian Petroleum Company
Steel pipe and railway wheel producer Interpipe said in a press release posted at the company web site that the company has completed the delivery of casing pipes to the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC). Interpipe has delivered casing pipes amounting to 12,700 tonnes of which 5,600 tonnes of pipes supplied have the UPJ (Ukrainian Premium Joint) connection. Casing pipes are used for the casing of oil and gas wells. Interpipe has developed the highly hermetic "Ukrainian Premium Joint" for use in the construction of horizontal and directional oil and gas wells and for the development of oil and gas fields in difficult geological conditions.
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March 18th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Uraltrubmash production facilities upgraded for product expansion
One of the current strategic goals at Uraltrubmash is the expansion of long-length tube sales in both domestic and foreign markets. To achieve this goal, the company has taken steps to improve the tube (strip steel-rolled) stock quality. For example, recent equipment additions both increase output and quality assurance. Uraltrubmash specialists have developed a program to manufacture ST60, ST70, ST80 and ST90 tubes similar to the U.S.-manufactured long-length tubes. To achieve world standard quality, a team of experienced U.S. specialists have been involved in the development. Uraltrubmash is taking certain steps to upgrade its production facilities. For example, it is replacing S420MC steel grade is being replaced with ASTM A606 Type 4 to improve the tubes’ quality. A606 Type 4 is a high quality steel grade used for the most critical products and can be recommended for use in low temperatures as found in the Siberian and Arctic regions.
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February 27th  - Projects Mumbai India - Welspun Gujarat commissions US pipe mill.
Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd., the 2nd largest line pipe company in the World and the winner of Economic Times "Emerging Company of the Year" announced on its web site it had Commissioned its state-of-art Pipe Mill at Little Rock Arkansas. This Pipe Mill has also received the much coveted API certification. With more than 250 employees, this $150 million facility spread across 740 acres has the ability to produce 300,000 tons of HSAW pipes. The facility can produce Pipes from 24 to 60 inches as outer diameter; 6 mm to 25 mm as wall thickness. It also has Coating and Double Jointing capabilities which were commissioned earlier and now provides a "One Stop Solution" for its valued customers. It may be added that WGSRL has recently bagged prestigious orders of Plates worth over Rs. 500 Crores. With this order, the Order Book of the Company now stands at Rs. 9,300 Crores (including Plates and Pipes). In another development, the Plate Mill at Anjar has taken a shutdown of 45 days to implement the Coil Mill. The 1.5 million ton state-of-art Stackel Mill is part of the backward integration project of WGSRL and will improve the Company’s internal flexibility to produce high grade Coils in-house.
February 9th  - Projects Vancouver Washington - Northwest Pipe Company announces $9 million project
Northwest Pipe Company reports it has been awarded the contract for the City Trunk Line South Unit 2 project, owned by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, to furnish approximately 10,500 feet of 66", 60", 54" and 24" diameter welded steel pipe and custom engineered fittings by W.A. Rasic of Bell Gardens, California. The value of the pipe order is approximately $9 million. The pipe will be manufactured at the Adelanto, California facility of Northwest Pipe Company. Delivery will start in early third quarter 2009 and be completed by 2011.
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February 7th  - Projects New Orleans Mississippi - Possible new federal environmental regulations makes Nucor reconsidering US iron plant project.
Steel manufacturer Nucor Corp. is reconsidering whether it will build a $3 billion iron plant in either St. James Parish or Brazil, a prize industrial development that Gov. Bobby Jindal has hoped to win for the state, Bloomberg News is reporting. Drop in demand for steel and possible new federal environmental regulations, which could impact the plant's emission of carbon dioxide, are among the company's concerns about moving forward. "We started this thing several years ago, before the economic crisis hit," Chief Executive Officer Dan DiMicco said today in an interview in Washington, according to Bloomberg. "That has caused everyone to re-evaluate each project and the cost of the projects and whether the projects still make economic sense."
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January 26th  - Projects Bangalore India - Financial turmoil curtails ArcelorMittal's $20 billion Indian investment
The worldwide financial turmoil and the consequent liquidity crunch and slackening demand for steel have caused steel giant ArcelorMittal Luxembourg to slow the pace of ambitious steel projects in India's eastern states of Jharkhand and Orissa. ArcelorMittal had identified the land for its mega 12 million tonne steel project in Jharkhand and applied for necessary approvals soon to acquire the same. In a press release February 12 last year Chief ArcelorMittal India Executive Officer Sanak Mishra said at the time "We have selected the land in Jharkhand and will apply for necessary approvals soon for land acquisition," He said his company's proposed projects in both Jharkhand and Orissa were progressing fast. Torpa-Kamdara site has been selected for the project in Jharkhand, he said adding "We will be shortly going for the Detailed Project Report," he said. Mishra said his company has received provisional nod from the Orissa government to acquire 7,500 acres of land at Keonjhar, of which 6,000 acres would be used to put up a 12 MT steel plant, 1,000 acres for setting up the 1,500 MW power plant and the remaining for developing a township. ArcelorMittal plans to invest at least USD 20 billion in the two projects, which would be build up in two equal phases. Mishra said first phase of these projects of 6 MT capacities would be completed within 48 months of preparation of the DPR.
January 20th  - Projects Doha Qatar - Steel factory coming up in new industrial area
A steel and pipe factory, with a capacity to manufacture 500 tonnes of pellets and structural equipment per day, will start functioning in New Industrial Area later this year. Al-Khor-based Seashore Group of Companies, the promoters of the proposed Seashore Steel and Pipes, said the factory would directly employ 400 personnel in the initial stages of operations. " The first phase of the company is expected to be commissioned in about eight months from now," said joint managing director P K Ashique. He said the company would take up the manufacturing of high quality steel pipes in the second phase of its operations. Managing director E S Mohamed Ali said the factory would be able to meet the increasing demand for steel in Qatar. The factory, he said, would also be able to supply materials to other parts of the region, he said. The promoters said they have hired consultants who had worked with top companies like Steel Authority of India and private sector major Tata Steel. Attending a function to mark the foundation stone laying, outgoing Indian Ambassador George Joseph said the proposed company was a “symbol of growing Indo-Qatar friendship”. The envoy said he was happy that an Indian-managed group had come forward to develop the project. Seashore Group of Companies chairman Saeed Salam M al-Mohannadi welcomed the gathering. Earlier, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Panakkad Syed Mohamed Ali Shihab Thangal laid the foundation stone of the new project. Former Kerala industries minister P K Kunhalikutty, Indian parliamentarian P K Abdul Wahab and entrepreneurs from India and Qatar also attended the function.
December 19th  - Projects Benxi China - China United International to build seamless tube plant in Benxi
China United International intends to build Seamless Steel Tube Plant in Benxi, Mr Wang Weimin board chairman of China United International Co Ltd has lately paid a visit to Benxi, Liaoning province, hoping to build a seamless steel tube project in the city, the news revealed from Benxi Government. China United International Co, with over CNY 4 billion of the sales revenue last year, is mainly engaged in minerals' development and trading etc. The company intends to invest CNY 12 billion to the project, which will be carried out in 3 stages. As per report, the first stage plans to build a 0.5 million tonnes per year seamless steel tube production line with costs of CNY 1.7 billion. Benxi not only owns convenient transportation, but also is a city of rich mineral resources and the ideal land for investment. Mr Wang expressed that he would promote the project earlier, and then he attended the contract signing ceremony with its investment partners, Tianjin Jinjie Trading Co Ltd and Benxi Junyuan Trading Co Ltd.
December 5th  - Projects Jinan Shandong province China - Jinan steel to invest in tube project in Hefei
Steel Guru reported yesterday that Anhui Jin'an Stainless Steel Casting Co Ltd is to invest CNY 0.77 billion into its Jin'an Steel Tube Project which was signed to settle in Hefei Recycling Economical Park on December 2nd. In September, the company acquired Hefei Steel Group Steel Tube Co Ltd and changed its name into Heifei Jin'an Steel Tube Co Ltd. The new company will be built in two phases. With investment of CNY 0.36 billion the 1st Phase, known as 500,000 tonnes per year specialized steel tube project is likely to start construction in near future. The 2nd Phase invested with CNY 0.41 billion will break earth next year. After the whole project completed, its annual production value is expected to reach CNY 5 billion with CNY 75 million of pre-tax profits.
December 4th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Korea Gas may build pipeline to Russia
Moscow Times cited Mr Choo Kang soo CEO of Korea Gas as saying that Korea Gas the world's biggest buyer of liquefied natural gas may build an undersea pipeline to import the fuel from Russia if a plan to lay an overland link via North Korea falls through. Mr Choo was quoted by his spokesman Mr Lee Sang Wook as saying that the utility discussed the possibility last week with Gazprom. As per report Korea Gas signed an accord with Gazprom in September to import 7.5 million tonnes of gas. The attempt to get the North's consent to build a pipeline in its territory comes as ties between the two countries grow chilly after Mr Lee Myung bak South Korean president, who took office in February, vowed to take a tougher line on its neighbor than his predecessors. Mr Lee quoted Mr Choo as saying that a pipeline through North Korea is expected to be more economical although an undersea link from Vladivostok to Samcheok on South Korea's eastern coast is a possible route.
December 2nd  - Projects Oslo Norway - Aker Solutions ASA lands Troll B Subsea Umbilical contract.
Aker Solutions ASA (OSL:AKVER) 27 November 2008 - Aker Solutions has signed a contract with Subsea 7 to supply steel tube umbilicals for the Troll B gas development in the Norwegian Sea. Contract value is approximately NOK 100 million. Aker Solutions will deliver approximately 7,5 kilometers of dynamic and static steel tube umbilicals to Subsea 7. The umbilicals will be manufactured and delivered out of Aker Solutions' facility in Moss, Norway. Delivery is scheduled for April 2010. The umbilicals will connect StatoilHydro's Troll B platform to two subsea gas injection satelite wells located south of the platform. "We enjoy a good working relationship with Subsea 7 and are pleased to supply umbilicals to them again," says Svein Haug, senior vice president for Umbilicals in Aker Solutions. "We remain the global market leader for steel tube umbilicals and contracts like these are recognition of that fact." The Troll field is located on the Norwegian continental shelf, approximately 70 km northwest of Bergen, in water depths between 300 and 340 meters.
December 2nd  - Projects Kuala Lumpur Malaysia - Latenfield Pipe to invest RM40.2m in Kertif plant
Plastic pipe maker Latenfield Pipe Industries Sdn Bhd plans to invest RM40.23 million in its first factory at the Plastics Park in Kertih, Terengganu. This is made possible by Vinyl Chloride (M) Sdn Bhd, a Petronas subsidiary, supplying MPVC compound and technical assistance. Latenfield's announcement follows Hi-Essence Sdn Bhd's pledge to invest RM85 million to build a cable and plastics wire factory, said the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in a statement yesterday. The Kertih Plastics Park (KPP) is part of the ECER master plan to further develop the nation's petrochemical industry. Located on a 4.8-hectare site within the plastics hub, the Latenfield factory will produce high-quality Modified Polyvinyl Chloride (MPVC) pipes that do not easily deteriorate. MPVC is widely accepted in developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand in pressure piping. It is produced by combining a PVC resin with a polymeric switching agent, to yield a strong finish. Latenfield managing director Chong Chow Yee said the pipes can be used at plantations, for water reticulation and sewage, mining and cabling as well as that for internal piping. "Latenfield is optimistic of posting RM40 million in annual sales when the new factory begins operations in two years," he said. "We are looking at having in place an extensive network for pipes as an original equipment manufacturer," said Chong.
November 13th  - Projects London U.K. - Corus completes upgrade of pilot plant caster
Corus Process Engineering (CPE) has completed the upgrade and reconfiguration of a purely vertical billet plant caster at Corus~{!/~} Teesside Technology Centre (TTC) Pilot Plant. The reconstructed caster, which is of a vertical/bending configuration, enables TTC to offer an extended range of investigative procedures and compliments the recently installed increased melting and refining capacity of the Pilot Plant. The previous vertical billet caster was able to cast 150mm square by 6m long billets from a ladle charge of around 3 tonnes of steel. The new caster is fed from a ladle charged with 7 tonnes of steel and is able to cast a wide range of billet sizes, as well as a mini slab 142mm x 300mm, which is cast through a plate mould. The casting floor of the reconfigured caster is 1.2m higher than the previous floor. The caster has a horizontal run out and storage bed, which enable products to be cast under steady state conditions. This is critical for TTC because it needs to simulate full scale casting production.
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November 13th  - Projects Oslo Norway - Aker Solutions signs up for Murphy's sub-sea inventory program
Aker Solutions have signed contracts with Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA (Murphy) to provide subsea trees, control systems and steel tube umbilicals to the company's Gulf of Mexico (GOM) programme. The initial order is worth approximately USD 23 million. This initial orders - which will launch Murphy's inventory stocking programme for its upcoming eastern GOM development schedule - includes two wellsets and an umbilical. Delivery of all components is scheduled for Q2 2009. "Murphy has an ambitious strategy for subsea developments in the Gulf of Mexico. We are very pleased to be chosen as partner for their forthcoming subsea projects in this part of the world," says Erik Wiik, president of Aker Solutions' subsea business area in the US.
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November 12th  - Projects TMK signs supply deal with ONGC - Moscow Russia
TMK, Russia's largest producer of steel pipes for the energy sector, said on Friday it had signed a deal to supply pipes to India's largest oil producer, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC). TMK will supply ONGC with around 20,000 tons of seamless casing pipe produced at the company's Volzhsky mill over the next two years. However, the company did not disclose the value of the deal.
November 8th  - Projects Paris France - Technip to manufacture umbilicals in Malaysia
Technip announces an expansion of its Asiaflex Products manufacturing facility to include the production of subsea umbilical(1) systems as of 2010. In January 2008(2), Technip announced the creation of Asiaflex Products that will manufacture Technip’s complete range of flexible pipes. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is currently under construction in Tanjung Langsat, Malaysia, and is on schedule to deliver flexible pipe, plus umbilicals in 2010. Asiaflex Products will complement Technip’s existing manufacturing facilities in the umbilicals market: DUCO Ltd. located in Newcastle, UK, Technip’s umbilical center of excellence for research & development, engineering and manufacturing activities, DUCO Inc. located in Houston, Texas, a major manufacturer of steel tube umbilicals for deepwater markets worldwide, Angoflex Ltda., a joint venture between Technip and Sonangol, strategically located in Lobito, Angola, to serve the Angolan deepwater market. The new facility benefits from a strategic location to serve the emerging deepwater oil and gas markets in the Asia-Pacific, India and Middle East regions. Asiaflex Products will also create specialized training and long term employment opportunities locally. Technip is a long-standing leader in oil & gas engineering in the Asia-Pacific region with more than 3,400 employees located in key operating centers across Asia-Pacific with its regional headquarters located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Asiaflex Products facility is part of Technip’s current capex program to strengthen its assets (vessels, engineering centers and manufacturing plants) and reinforce its worldwide leadership in the Subsea market.
October 25th  - Projects Winamac Indiana - Plymouth Tube Company expands
Plymouth Tube Company, a supplier of specialty steel and tubing to the manufacturing and logistics industries, announced Thursday it will expand its manufacturing and processing center here, creating up to 14 new jobs. 10 days ago Plymouth Tube announced it was cutting 20% of its workforce at its Warrenville, Illinois plant. Mr. Marvin Dunham GM of Plymouth Tube said that the last work day for 20 of the manufacturing firm's 100 or more workers is October 17th 2008. The manufacturer of seamless hot rolled and cold-drawn steel will now invest more than $5 million to re-equip its idled 150,000-square-foot production facility at 572 W. State Road 14 in Winamac "Attracting new jobs like those at Plymouth Tube becomes even more important in a tough national economy. From Angola to Evansville we continue to outrun all of our Midwestern competitors for new job-creating investment from companies, but we can't let up for a minute," said Governor Mitch Daniels. Plymouth Tube plans to begin hiring process managers this fall ahead of the refurbished plant's opening in 2009. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Plymouth Tube up to $60,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $60,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. Pulaski County will provide property tax abatement at the request of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission.
October 22nd  - Projects Cairo Egypt - El Sewedy delays smelter project
El Sewedy Cables, one of the biggest cable manufacturers in the Middle East, will delay its copper smelter project "for the time being" due to market conditions, the company said on Tuesday. "Given the current market conditions, we can achieve better returns on our investments in other projects that we are working on," Chief Executive Ahmed El Sewedy said in a statement. "We strongly believe in the fundamentals of the project. We just think the timing could be better. We believe we can build it much cheaper 12 months from now. We will continue monitoring the market condition," he added. The firm said that a feasibility study had shown a potentially lower than expected return on investments due to higher capital expenditures. It added that the smelter, if constructed, would be "one of the most cost competitive copper smelters/refineries worldwide". El Sewedy said last year it would build an $850 million copper smelter in Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea coast to produce 300,000 tonnes of copper cathodes a year, as well as other by-products such as sulphuric acid.
October 15th  - Projects Mexico City Mexico - Techint to invest $6.6 billion in Mexico despite crisis
Argentine construction conglomerate Techint is going ahead with $6.6 billion investments in steel and mining in Mexico despite panic in global markets, the group's top executive said last week. Techint, which controls Tenaris, the world's leading producer of seamless steel pipes for the energy industry, will spend $1.6 billion to expand a steel tube plant in Veracruz, Paolo Rocca, head of the group told a press conference. The tubes are used by Mexico's state-run oil monopoly Pemex in their oil and gas installations. "The Techint group has confidence in Mexico beyond the turbulence that we are seeing today," said Rocca, in a reception with President Felipe Calderon.
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October 9th  - Projects Bangalore India - ArcelorMittal moving ahead with $27 billion Indian Steel Mill
ArcelorMittal (Luxembourg) is in talks with the state government of Chhattisgarh to set up a 6 million-ton-per-year integrated steel mill. The company intends to invest about $3 billion in the project. Discussions are still in the initial stages, but when the project is complete, the company's proposed steel production capacity from its units in India will reach 30 million tons per year within the next decade. Earlier this year, ArcelorMittal announced plans to invest $24 billion in two integrated steel plants in the states of Orissa and Jharkhand.
October 8th  - Projects Luenen Germany - NA invests 62.5m euros and creates 40 new jobs at its Luenen site
Up until 2011, Norddeutsche Affinerie AG (NA) is going to invest a further 62.5 million euros in the expansion of the Kayser Recycling System (KRS) at its recycling site in Lünen, in the shape of the KRS-Plus project. This will also lead to the creation of 40 new jobs. The decision was announced today at the ground-breaking ceremony for a new warehouse for KRS recycling raw materials, which completes the implementation of an emissions reduction program agreed with the authorities in 2006. At the same time, further measures for reducing emissions beyond those proposed in the original concept were also announced. For full press release use this link
October 7th  - Projects Wuxi China - WSP Holdings Limited receives new orders
WSP Holdings Limited ("WSP Holdings" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese manufacturer of API and non-API seamless casing, tubing and drill pipes used in oil and natural gas exploration, drilling and extraction, and other pipes and connectors, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Wuxi Seamless Oil Pipes Company, Limited ("WSP China"), received four new purchase orders for non-API casing pipe and API tubing pipe from Chickasaw Distributors, Inc. ("Chickasaw") in the United States. Chickasaw has extensive experience as an OCTG product distributor and is an OCTG provider to Shell Oil Company, one of America's leading oil and natural gas companies. These new purchase orders are for a total of 5,368 tonnes of non-API high- collapse casing pipe and 1,599 tonnes of API tubing pipe worth a total of approximately $15 million. The Company expects to complete delivery for these orders by the end of May 2009. Earlier in May and June 2008, WSP China received purchase orders from Shell Oil Company through Chickasaw for a total of 8,217 tonnes of API casing pipe. "We are pleased to sell our non-API products to Shell Oil Company through Chickasaw, these new non-API and API product orders underscore the high performance characteristics of our products and illustrate our ability to compete in the global OCTG market," said Mr. Longhua Piao, Chairman and CEO of WSP Holdings. "Part of our core growth strategy is to establish more direct sales relationships with international leading oil and gas companies by becoming a certified supplier to those companies. We believe our business will continue to grow because of our ability to attract and successfully fill purchase orders from Shell Oil Company and other leading oil and gas companies. We hope to gain additional United States market share as brand awareness of our products grows in the United States."
October 6th  - Projects Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates - Dana Group to invest in a new coil service center & tube mill project in Northern Emirates
Under it’s expansion plan DANA GROUP’S Dana Steel Processing Industries LLC, has announced an investment of DHS 100 million for it’s New Coil Service Center & Tube Mill project in Emirates Modern Industrial Area ,Umm-Al-Quwain. This new initiative is to cater to the construction boom of Northern Emirates. This is in addition to its already existing fully automatic coil service center (cut-to-length & slitting facilities) in Al Quoz, Dubai. The project is to be commissioned in two phases; the first phase of the project is the Coil Slitting facility, the second phase, a High speed, High Precision ERW pipe manufacturing line will be commissioned by End of November 2008.With capabilities of making pipes & hollow sections up to 3 inches, it is intended to cater principally to the scaffolding industry and fabricators.
October 1st  - Projects Llodio (Alava) Spain - 1 Asia becomes main sales market for Spanish seamless pipe
Local media has reported that Asia has become the main sales market for Spanish seamless pipe producers. Tubacex, a leading producer of stainless seamless pipes and eager to become the top pipe provider for the nuclear and oil industries in the world, stated that they will start to actively develop the Asian market and look for any potential business. Furthermore, the company says that its sales and profit will continue to surge due to increasingly investment by the oil industry.
September 24th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - JFE Steel to enlarge seamless pipe production
Japan’s JFE Steel has finished its seamless pipes expansion at its Chita Works and the annual capacity of the medium sizes will reach 160,000 tonnes to 250,000 tonnes. JFE began operation in July 2008 and fully production since on September 1st 2008 by spending JPY15 billion. The OD range is from 178mm to 426mm, length from 5.5 meters to 13.5 meters and wall thickness 4.3mm to 55mm. Among the new capacity, 30,000 tonnes are Cr13 oil pipeline, which makes the total annual capacity of Cr13 is 150,000 tonnes. JFE is the largest Cr13 pipes maker in the world and takes 50 percent market share in the world.
September 22nd  - Projects Frankfurt Germany - Schulz plans new USD 60 million plant in Brazil
BNamericas reported that German steel tube and products manufacturer Schulz is planning to build a third plant in Brazil with investment of some USD 60 million. The plant would be built by Brazilian subsidiary Grupo Schulz in Rio de Janeiro state and have a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year of tubes and connectors destined for deep water oil and gas exploration. Schulz's two operating units in Rio were built in 2007 and produce more than 1 million tonnes per year of stainless steel tubes and connectors.
September 8th  - Projects Vancouver Washington - Northwest Pipe Company announces $26 Million projects
Northwest Pipe Company is pleased to announce that we have been named as the pipe supplier for two major water pipeline projects. These two projects have a total contract value of $26 million. he first contract is with S.J. Louis Construction of Mansfield, Texas. Northwest Pipe will supply approximately 11,200 feet of 96" pipe and engineered fittings for a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power project. This pipe will be manufactured at our Adelanto, California facility with delivery scheduled to begin in early 2009. The second project, with Garney Construction of Kansas City, Missouri, is to furnish approximately 30,000 feet of 72" pipe and engineered fittings for the City of Aurora, Colorado. This pipe will be produced at our Denver, Colorado facility and will start delivery in the fourth quarter of 2008.
September 5th  - Projects Luxembourg - Tenaris plans US$1.6 billion expansion at its Mexico Veracruz operation
Luxembourg-based Tenaris is planning a US$1.6bn capacity expansion at its seamless pipe operation in Veracruz, Mexico, the company said in a statement. The expansion involves installing a small diameter - up to seven inches (17.8cm) - rolling mill with capacity of 450,000t/y of seamless pipes, as well as associated iron, steelmaking and finishing facilities. The mill is expected to begin operations by 2011, the statement said.
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September 5th  - Projects Tehran Iran - Ground broken for Iran's largest steel mill.
Construction operations of the country's largest steel company with an annual production capacity of one million tons of steel commenced on Tuesday in Khorramshahr, southwestern Khuzestan Province. Talking to IRIB, the head of the province's Industries and Mines Organization said that Karun Rolling and Pipe Mill is being launched in the framework of the national plan for combination of industry and mine sectors. Nurollah Hassanzadeh remarked that the private sector has invested 7.8 trillion rilas (some $813 million) in the project. The mill is to be commissioned in two phases, he said, noting that the first phase of the project has been intended to produce one million ton of output per annum while the capacity could be increased to five million tons.
September 3rd  - Projects Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates - Tenders issued for next phase of Fujairah pipeline
MEED reports that Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company has issued tenders for the next phase of one of the world's longest pipelines, which will transfer water from the Fujairah 2 independent water and power project to Abu Dhabi. As per report the contract covers the construction of a pipeline between Al-Ain, on the border with Oman and Al Wahda outside Abu Dhabi. Bids are due on September 16th 2008. The project is split into two packages, one covers the engineering, procurement and construction of a 130 kilometer steel pipeline with a 64 inch diameter, and the other covers the construction of two pumping stations. The cost of the project is USD 1 billion.
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September 2nd  - Projects Shanghai, China - Baosteel subsidiary orders PFQ seamless tube mill
It is reported that Yantai Lubao Steel Tube Co Ltd a subsidiary of Baosteel, has awarded Germany's SMS Meer an order to supply 18'' PQF seamless tube line. As per the report, the line is slated to come on stream in 2010, with an annual capacity of 520,000 tonnes of seamless tube, which covers the upper limit of existing gauges and focuses on large-gauge of high alloy seamless tube. The diameter of the tube ranges from 244.5mm to 457mm, with the maximum thickness of 55mm. Baosteel would ship the feed from its steelmaking mill to Yantai port, which is adjacent to the tube plant. The steelmaker has already signed three other contracts with the equipment supplier for producing steel tube with diameter between 21.3mm and 1420mm.
August 30th  - Projects Monterrey, Mexico - Prolamsa seeks site for U.S. Tube Mill
Productos Laminados de Monterrey, S.A. de C.V. (PROLAMSA) has announced plans to expand its U.S. operations by establishing its first mechanical and structural steel tubing manufacturing facility in the United States by the second half of 2009. PROLAMSA’s headquarters are located in Monterrey, Mexico, 150 miles south of Laredo, Texas. Founded in 1954, PROLAMSA claims to be one of the largest producers of mechanical and structural steel tubing in Mexico and exports its products to Central, South and North America. The company sells in the United States through its Houston subsidiary Prolamsa Inc.
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August 29th  - Projects Wuhu Anhui province China - Xinxing Pipes inks to forge steel base in Wuhu
Wuhu Daily reported that Xinxing Pipes Group signed an agreement with Wuhu's mayor on August 16th to invest no less than CNY 8 billion in creating a first tier cast tube and machine manufacturing steel base in the city. Xinxing Pipes Group will earn sales revenue of CNY 40 billion per year at Wuhu a city in East China’s Anhui Province. According to the report, under the agreement, the projects Xinxing Pipes Group will invest include 1. CNY 1 billion worth direct reducing iron item with 2 million tones per year output. 2. CNY 500 million worth auto vehicles recycling project for dismantling 50 to 100 vehicles a year 3. CNY 1.5 billion worth machine manufacturing steel refining shop with 2.5 million tonnes products 4. CNY 3 billion worth machine manufacturing steel processing center, CNY 2 billion worth item for facilities. The report added that Xinxing Pipes Group restructured Wuhu Steel in 2003. Wuhu Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipe co Ltd earned sales income of CNY 4.946 billion in January to Jul 2008 with the year figure forecast above 8 billion in 2008 and CNY 10 billion by the end of 2010.
August 28th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Russia's Pervouralsk to launch $500 million steel mill
Russian steel pipe maker Pervouralsk Novotrubny Pipe Works will launch a $500 millionn steel plant in the first quarter of 2009 that will allow it to cover some of its raw material needs, the company said. Pervouralsk Novotrubny, part of the ChTPZ Group, said in a statement the new plant would have capacity to produce 950,000 tonnes a year of steel billets for the manufacture of seamless pipes.
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August 27th  - Projects Baton Rouge Louisiana - Shaw joint venture to build a new world-class module fabrication and assembly facility in Lake Charles Louisiana .
A state-of-the-art module fabrication and assembly facility will be built in Lake Charles, La., by a newly formed joint venture created by The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE: SGR) and Westinghouse Electric Company, L.L.C. Shaw's Fabrication & Manufacturing Group will serve as managing member of the new joint venture, named Global Modular Solutions, L.L.C.
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August 26th  - Projects Brantford Ontario - Tata Steel cancels Bangladesh steel mill project
Tata Steel are withdrawing a proposed investment plan of $3 billion in Bangladesh because of the country's prevalent political instability and the non-committal stance of the government. The company told reporters in Dhaka.. The announcement comes on the heel of a news release August 14 that Tata Steel, had signed an agreement yesterday with the Viet Nam Steel Corporation (VnSteel) and Viet Nam Cement Corporation (VICEM) to build a $5 billion steel complex in Viet Nam. The complex, the biggest steel plant in Viet Nam, will have an annual output of 4.5 million tonnes of steel, according to VnSteel, the country~{!/~}s largest steel maker.
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August 25th  - Projects Welspun City India - Welspun Gujarat plans INR 1,000 crore capacity hike
Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren has decided to increase the capacity of its pipe plant by 75% to 1.75 million tonnes to meet growing demand for oil pipelines. Mr Akhil Jindal president of Welspun Group said that the expansion is estimated to cost the company INR 1,100 crore which will be funded through a mixture of debt and internal accruals. He said that ~{!0~}About INR 800 crore will be through debt while the rest will come from our accrual.~{!1~} He added that their borrowing cost has been pegged at about 10%.
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August 23rd  - Projects Sverdlovskaya Oblast Kamensk-Uralskiy, Russia - Sinarskom Tube completes revamping of mill
Steel Guru reported that at Sinarskom Tube plants in Tube Metallurgical Company, completed renovation mill TPA-140 and its main unit roundabout furnace. It replaced the lining inside the furnace, as well as the basic units and units of mechanical, electrical and power equipment. Implementation of the repair activities allows for the creation of conditions for sustainable operation of technological equipment for the production of seamless pipes for hot SinTZ.
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August 16th  - Projects New Delhi India - Outokumpu to set up a stainless rebar and a stainless tube facility in India.
Stainless steelmaker Outokumpu India, part of Finland-based Outokumpu, plans to set up a plate service centre and a rebar processing facility next to its coil service centre, which is being built in the Ambarnath region in Maharashtra. The entire project would entail an investment of close to Rs 300 crore. Besides, the company is also looking at setting up a steel tube manufacturing plant, which could also be through a joint venture. “The growing demand for finished and semi-finished stainless steel products across various sectors have prompted us to add a rebar processing facility and a plate service centre to our coil service centre,” said a senior company official. These centres would provide customised steel products to the industrial sector. Last year, the company sold 11,000 tonnes of steel in the domestic market and this year, it is targeting sales of 30,000 tonnes of steel.
August 16th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK TAGMET carries out hot trial of new PQF piercing mill
TMK announced that its Taganrog Metallurgical Works has carried out hot trials for piercing of hollow billet using the piercing mill of a new pipe rolling system, part of a Premium Quality Finishing continuous mill made by SMS Meer. Annual capacity of the new system will amount to 600,000 tonnes of seamless pipes. The release said that “The testing was successful. Having been heated in reconstructed annular kiln, the hollow billet made from 32G2 steel, 210mm diameter and 2470mm length was successfully pierced. The quality of the shell surface and its geometrical dimensions met required parameters. Piercing rate matched the capacity of the continuous mill. Pipe-shell piercing is the first stage of seamless-pipe rolling.” The release added that “Commissioning of these facilities is scheduled for September of this year.”
August 10th  - Projects BaoShan China - Baosteel subsidiary Yantai orders 18" PQF seamless tube mill
Baoshan Iron & Steel Co Ltd’s Yantai Baosteel Pipe Co Ltd has placed an order with SMS Meer of Germany for the supply of an 18” Premium Quality Finishing plant. The plant is scheduled to go into operation at the beginning of 2010 and will then produce 520,000 tonnes of seamless tubes a year. The tubes will have diameters from 244.5mm to 457.0 mm, with wall thicknesses up to 55 mm. Baosteel will deliver the starting material by sea from its own steelworks to the port of Yantai directly next to the works.
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August 10th  - Projects Mumbai India - Indian Hume to set up 3 units in AP to raise output
Indian Hume Pipe Co Ltd recently announced that to meet the requirements of orders on hand, the company is in the process of enhancing its pipe production capacity by setting up three plants at Chillamuthur, Anantapur district and another in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh at an outlay of about INR 20 crore. It added that “The value of orders on hand is INR 1,256 crore as against INR 592 crore as on date last year. For about 83 per cent of balance orders, requirement of steel and cement is covered under escalation clause with the clients, thereby providing protection against the risk of higher cost due to increase in the prices of materials.”
August 3rd  - Projects Rio de Janeiro Brazil - Vallourec-Sumitomo JV buys furnaces for pipe plant
BNamericas reported that Vallourec & Sumitomo Tubos do Brasil has signed agreements with the Brazilian subsidiary of Luxembourg's Paul Wurth to purchase two blast furnaces with combined capacity of 600,000 tonne per year and other equipment for a Greenfield project in Minas Gerais state. The JV between Japanese group Sumitomo Metals and French steel tube maker Vallourec is building a USD 1.6 billion seamless pipe mill at Jeceaba in the central part of the state. The plant is earmarked to make 600,000 tonne per year of premium tubes which are to supply the worldwide oil and gas industry. The unit will also have a 1 million tonne per year crude steel mill, from which some 700,000 tonne per year will feed the pipe plant and the balance will belong to the French company. The report added that the new plant, slated for startup in mid-2010, is due to increase Vallourec's worldwide production by 10%, while Sumitomo's global capacity will rise to 1.6 million tonne per year.
August 3rd  - Projects Kuwait City Kuwait - Bids invited for Kuwait oil pipeline
Arabianbusiness.com reported that state owned Kuwait Oil Company invited bids from seven Grade 1 local contractors by August 19th for a contract to build a new oil pipeline. As per the report the pre qualified companies are: 1. Arabi Enertech 2. Al Khadda International General Trading & Contracting Company 3. Almeer Technical Services 4. Combined Group 5. Heavy Engineering Industries & Shipbuilding Company 6. Mechanical Engineering Contracting Company 7. United Gulf Construction Company. Running in southeast Kuwait, the pipeline will be 3.8 kilometers long. The engineering, procurement and construction contract covers the installation of the 20 inch diameter pipeline complete with all associated civil, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation, cathodic protection and corrosion monitoring works.
July 26th  - Projects Mumbai India - Nissan Copper plans copper tube unit in Silvasa
Mumbai-based Nissan Copper Ltd. plans to set up a greenfield plant of 12,000 metric tones per annum, near its existing manufacturing facility at Silvasa. The company created Rs 200-crore warchest for the same. The company plans to fund the process through mix of debt and equity. The new plant will manufacture inner groove copper tubes as well as LWC coils and is expected to start its trial productions in January 2010. "Presently, inner groove copper tubes are not being manufactured in India and the margins from this product are expected to be high. There is a huge demand in domestic market and it has a high export potential in European countries and US," said Ratanlal Maradia, managing director, Nissan Copper Ltd.
July 19th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - Japanese steel makers expanding operations in Vietnam
Japan's midsize electric-furnace steelmakers and metal processors are adding capacity to their production bases in Vietnam. With its strong domestic demand for steel products and its relatively low labor costs, Vietnam is an attractive alternative to China as a base of production. Maruichi steel Tube Ltd is spending some 3.2 billion yen (US$30 million) to install state-of-the-art equipment for the manufacture of large steel pipes for waterworks and gas line infrastructure at its factory outside Ho Chi Minh City while Tokyo Rope MFG Co is spending roughly 2 billion to add 150 per cent more capacity for elevator wire rope at its base in southern Vietnam. The rush to construct buildings and factories in Vietnam and China is another incentive for Japanese firms to invest in greater production at their Vietnamese bases.
July 19th  - Projects Marseille Illinois - Marseilles tube plant to be expanded Key was city fixing flooding woes
A long-awaited multimillion-dollar expansion of the Independence Tube plant is taking place, Mayor Jim Trager announced at the Marseilles City Council meeting Wednesday. Expansion of the plant, which produces structural steel tubing, means temporary construction jobs and permanent plant jobs, as well as additional tax revenue. But the expansion plans had been on hold. The company instead considered expansion of another plant in Decatur, Ala., due to flooding concerns at the Marseilles location. The Marseilles plant is on the east side of town between the Illinois River and the Illinois & Michigan Canal. In spring 2006, heavy rain caused water to accumulate in the canal. It surged into the plant, causing damage -- and much concern over future flooding problems. It was not the first flood, but the damage was more extensive than before, according to plant manager John Koschwanez. "I'm happy to announce that Independence Tube has decided to do their expansion in Marseilles instead of a plant down in Alabama," said Trager. "We were in competition with that plant and Independence Tube has faith in the city of Marseilles and decided to go ahead with the expansion up here.
July 19th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - Sumitomo completes capacity expansion for seamless pipes
Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd announced that it has completed expansion work to add production capacity for high end seamless pipes at Steel Tube Works in Amagasaki and Wakayama Steel Works, both part of the Pipe & Tube Company of Sumitomo Metals. The operations have begun in the end of June 2008. Capacity for seamless pipes has been increased by 100,000 tonnes particularly for high margin, distinctive super high end products such as super high alloy and 13% Cr OCTG pipe. The release said that “Sumitomo Metal on the back of economic development of BRICs and other countries, global demand for energy has been growing and demand for seamless pipes used for exploration of oil and natural gas reserves, has continued to be at a high level.
July 9th  - Projects Vancouver Washington - Northwest Pipe Company announces $8 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Tuesday that it has received a verbal commitment from Ranger Pipelines of San Francisco, California to supply pipe for the Alternative Intake Project Pipeline in the Contra Costa Water District. The Company will supply approximately 12,500 feet of 72" steel pipe valued at approximately $8 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Adelanto, California division with delivery scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2009. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe and other products in two business groups. Its Water Transmission Group is the leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water infrastructure in North America. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of applications including construction, agricultural, energy, traffic and other commercial and industrial uses. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington and has ten manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
July 2nd  - Projects North Ryde NSW Australia - Boulder Steel's Seamless tube plant to be located in Gladstone
Boulder Steel will be locating its expanded seamless tube plant in Gladstone, Queensland. The Directors of Boulder Steel Limited said on their web site the directors wish to advise that they have now confirmed their preference for Gladstone, Queensland as the new location for the Company's expanded Australian Project. The project site has excellent infrastructure (close to the port, gas, power and rail). The reason for this move is that the Ipswich location is not large enough to accommodate the expanded project. In order to ensure the quality of the steel to be produced and to further reduce production costs, a pig iron plant has been added to the project scope. The pig iron plant will significantly enhance the project returns.
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June 24th  - Projects Singapore - Van Leeuwen Pipe wins contract for Saudi Kayan Olefins Plant
Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube (Singapore) Pte Ltd has been awarded an initial contract of an estimated total value exceeding USD 38 Million for the supply of carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel and incoloy pipes, fittings and flanges for the Saudi Kayan Olefins Plant project. With an annual production capacity exceeding 6 million metric tons of (petro)chemical products the Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company is one of the major players in the petrochemical industry. The 1,350,000 tons per annum olefins plant will be erected at the Saudi Kayan cracker complex in the Jubail Industrial City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Kellogg Brown & Root Singapore is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction management for this project.
June 14th  - Projects New Delhi India - Pipe maker PSL bags an order from BPCL
Delhi-based pipe and crane maker PSL Ltd receive an order from public sector petroleum marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) worth Rs. 123 crore The company will supply carbon steel bare line pipes to BPCL for its Bina-Kota project during current fiscal year said a statement by the company to Bombay Stock Exchange.
June 13th  - Projects Vancouver Washington - Northwest Pipe Company announces Houston expansion.
Northwest Pipe Company announced plans today to construct a new tubular products pipe manufacturing facility in the Houston, Texas area. The Company is finalizing site location and permitting issues and expects to begin construction this summer. The Company expects the new facility to begin operations by April 2009. The new facility will focus on producing casing pipe for the Oil Country Tubular Goods ("OCTG") market.
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June 11th  - Projects Knesebeck Germany - Butting to supply BuBi pipes for Miglianico field
It is reported that Butting Group, a large scale welded pipe enterprise in Germany, has obtained an order to supply metallurgically clad pipes, mechanically clad pipes and metallurgically clad elbows for the Miglianico oil and gas field in Italy. The BuBi pipes have already been dispatched. The final deadline for the project is week 28. There, the pipes are used on shore with conventional earth moving technology. The end customer is the ENI company, which is one of the largest integrated energy companies in the world. The start of production for the entire site is planned for the end of 2008. At peak periods which will be reached from around the beginning of 2009, almost 7000 barrels of crude oil a day and around 190,000 cubic meter of natural gas will be processed.
June 4th  - Projects Vancouver British Columbia - Northwest Pipe lands $19 million order
Northwest Pipe Co. on Monday announced a $19 million order for pipes that will be used in municipal water systems across three states. The order of 57,000 feet of 54-inch steel pipe will supply the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, which serves 200,000 people in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. Northwest Pipe manufactures welded steel pipe and other products at ten manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Mexico, and maintains its corporate headquarters in Vancouver.
May 31st  - Projects Kiev Ukraine - Interpipe commissions NDT facilities at Dnepropetrovsk
Interpipe has announced that the realization of the project aimed at the increase of non destructive testing facilities based in tube rolling shop No 5 at the Interpipe NTRP operation at Dnepropetrovsk in Ukraine. The released added that completion of the project will enable Interpipe NTRP to provide full non destructive testing of its steel pipe products, thereby improving its offering to customers. The new line includes a rotary ultrasonic testing system, pipe flushing equipment and automated ultrasonic testing of pipe ends. US Company Magnetic Analysis Corporation, one of the leading non destructive testing suppliers, was selected to provide the ultrasonic pipe testing equipment for both the pipe body and pipe diameter. Starmans Electronics from the Czech Republic will provide the testing equipment for the pipe ends. Mr Aleksey Slyusarev Director for Production and Investments of Interpipe's said "Increase of non destructive testing facilities is one of Interpipe~{!/~}s strategic goals. Over the last two years we have added NDT facilities at our operations and now have the capability through ultrasonic, electromagnetic, eddy current and magnetic particle testing to test seamless and welded pipes at all of our mills."
May 31st  - Projects Jamshedpur India - Tata Steel tubes from Jamshedpur to be used in the Nano engine cradle
As India waits for the Nano, the Rs.1 lakh dream car, scheduled to hit the roads in October, the Tatas have opted for their own company in Jamshedpur to make the steel and fibre tubes that would be used in the Nano's engine cradle.The high precision tubes will be manufactured at Tata~{!/~}s Precision Tube Mills located in Jamshedpur. Renovations have been carried out at the plant to ensure there is adequate supply of tubes to the Nano's manufacturing hub in Singur. Sources confirmed that the initial round of testing the tubes has been successful, however, the Executive-in-charge (tubes),Vivek Kamra, declined to discuss the project further.
May 21st  - Projects Dubai U.A.E. - Top ten GCC steel plant projects total US$9.5 billion
The top ten new steel production projects in GCC countries (BAHRAIN, KUWAIT, OMAN, QATAR, SAUDI ARABIA, U.A.E. ) amount to a staggering investment value of US$9.5 billio, according to the database of research company Proleads, which monitors major construction projects across the region from initial study to completion.
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May 12th  - Projects Mangalore India - Five suppliers qualify to bid for Kudremukh new DI pipe mill
Projects Today reported that 5 firms have qualified in the technical bid for Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd's proposed ductile iron spun pipe mill in Mangalore. Over the next two weeks, price bids will be opened and the turnkey contractor for INR 225 crore project will be finalized by May end, after due approval from the company board. 100,000 tonnes pipe mill is understood to be the first in the public sector as so far Jindals and Electrosteel Castings are dominating the market. The mill will produce pipes of various sizes in 100 mm to 1,000 mm diameter. KIOCL has proposed to set up the mill in a 4.5 acre complex in the vicinity of its blast furnace at Parambur near Mangalore. Land acquisition and environmental clearance is in place. The pipe mill is scheduled to commission by early 2010, Ductile iron pipes are fast emerging as an alternative to cast iron pipes that tend to corrode and have already been banned in many countries. DI pipes besides being corrosion resistant are also lighter and more durable.
May 7th  - Projects Shanghai China - Golden Dragon plans CNY1.5 Billion IPO to finance expansion
China's Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group Inc., which is 25%-owned by three foreign companies including Standard Chartered PLC, plans to raise CNY1.5 billion ($214.3 million) through a Shanghai listing, a company executive said Tuesday. "We will start the preparation for the initial public offering this year, and expect to complete the deal next year," said the executive, who declined to be named. He said the company will use the proceeds from the share sale to expand its core business. Golden Dragon, China's biggest copper tube producer by output, is a major exporter of the key component for air conditioners. In October, a private-equity unit of Standard Chartered, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. bought a combined 25% stake in Golden Dragon for $90 million.
May 6th  - Projects Copenhagen Denmark - NKT Flexibles is awarded a three-year frame agreement by Petrobras, Brazil
NKT Flexibles has entered into a three-year frame agreement with Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras, Brazil) covering delivery of up to 90 km. of 6”ID and 8”ID flexible dynamic risers and static flowlines for installation in water depths down to 2,000 meter. The frame agreement will run in the period 2009-2011 and may reach a value of 1.4 billion DKK (close to 300 mUSD) if fully exercised. Michael C. Hjorth, CEO of NKT Flexibles; "We are exceptionally pleased to be awarded this three-year frame agreement by Petrobras. It confirms NKT Flexibles’ strong position in the global market for offshore flexible pipe systems and supports our long term development program focused at flexible pipe applications for ultra deep water. Furthermore, this frame agreement marks the entrance of NKT Flexibles into the hugely important Brazilian market accounting for some 50% of the global flexible pipe market. We expect this step-up in co-operation with Petrobras to be the start of a mutually successful business relationship." NKT Flexibles I/S provide highly complex flexible pipe systems designed for use in connection with extraction of hydrocarbons from offshore oil and gas fields. 51% of the company is owned by NKT Holding A/S and the remaining 49% is owned by the global offshore engineering and construction contractor Acergy.
May 1st  - Projects Vancouver British Columbia - Northwest Pipe Company announces $22 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it has received a verbal commitment from Reynolds-Tierdale of Denver, Colorado to supply pipe for the Prairie Waters Project for the City of Aurora, Colorado.The Company will supply approximately 68,000 feet of 60" steel pipe valued at approximately $22 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Denver, Colorado division with delivery scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2008. The Prairie Waters Project is designed to provide a reliable supply of high quality water to the City of Aurora by drawing water from the South Platte River through collector wells. It will be delivered to nearby natural purification basins where its movement through sand and gravel will take it through a natural cleansing process. The water will then be piped 38 miles south to the Aurora Reservoir where it will be treated at a new water purification facility. It is anticipated to deliver up to 10,000 acre feet of water by 2010 and up to 15,000 acre feet by 2012. The Prairie Waters Project is projected to provide enough additional water to meet the city's demands into the 2020s.
April 24th  - Projects Ahmedabad India - Suraj Stainless to set up seamless tube plant at Kadi
In a bid to leverage the increased demand of stainless steel pipes and tubes, Ahmedabad based Suraj Stainless Limited is planning to set up a new seamless steel pipes and tubes manufacturing plant at Kadi near Mehsana in Gujarat. Suraj Stainless, which engaged in manufacturing of stainless steel pipes and tubes as well as welded pipes, intends to invest around INR 70 crore for the proposed plant, which will ensure its place in the top 10 stainless steel seamless pipes and tubes companies in the world. The existing 3 plants have stainless steel pipes and tubes manufacturing capacity of 12,000 tonnes per annum. Also, these plants produce 8,000 tonnes per annum of welded pipes. The Greenfield facility is aimed at expanding the existing production capacity of seamless pipes and tubes. Mr Rajesh Pillai GM of Suraj Stainless Limited said that "Currently, it has 20 production lines and we plan to add another 40 lines as part of the new plant, which will scale up the production capacity for seamless pipes and tubes to 26,000 tonnes per annum." Mr Pillai said that refinery projects worth thousands of dollars were coming up in Arab countries. Also, dozens of power projects are under construction in the US. In the domestic market, more and more companies are coming forward with refinery projects.
April 21st  - Projects Paris France - Technip and Dodsal won USD 610 pipeline deal
MEED reported that a consortium of Paris based Technip and Dubai based Dodsal has won the USD 610 million contract to build a 131 kilometer long pipeline from Fujairah to Al Ain. Abu Dhabi is building power and water capacity in Fujairah as part of a plan to spread plants throughout the UAE and ensure supply to the northern emirates. The engineering, procurement and construction contract covers the installation of a 64 inch steel pipeline from the Fujairah F2 independent water and power project, which is being built, to a water storage facility at Al Hayer close to Al Ain. The pipeline will pass through 55 kilometers of mountainous terrain, 71 wadis and 15 roads. As part of the project, two fiber optic cable systems will also be installed along the route of the pipeline as part of a communications network. The project should be completed by 2011. The scope of works also covers five main pumping stations with a flow rate of 5,000 cubic meters an hour, five water booster stations with a flow rate of 6,000 cubic meters an hour, six valve stations, 10 tap-off stations and a cooling water system. The consultant on the scheme is Germany's ILF Engineers.
April 19th  - Projects Maputo, Mozambique, - South African, Chinese and Mozambican Consortium to build pipe plant outside Maputo
A consortium with South African, Chinese and Mozambican capital has invested US$44 million in the construction of a steel tube factory at Beluluane Industrial Park 16 kilometers outside Maputo, the Notícias newspaper reported Friday. The factory should begin producing at the end of the year or in early 2009, with markets already assured in Africa and the United States linked to the industry of transporting petroleum and natural gas derivatives, the newspaper indicated. In the first phase the plant will have the capacity to produce 200,000 tons of steel tubes per year, with prospects of increasing to 700,000 tons per year. The raw material for its production should be imported from countries such as Turkey, China or South Africa.
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March 25th  - Projects Pittsburg California - United Spiral to produce large diameter line pipe
United Spiral Pipe, LLC, a joint venture of United States Steel Corporation, POSCO and SeAH Steel Corporation today broke ground for a state-of-the-art spiral welded pipe manufacturing facility. The new plant will have world-class pipe making and coating facilities and be capable of producing 300,000 net tons of API specification line pipe per year in outside diameters ranging from 24 inches to 64 inches. The facility will also benefit from an advanced and automated two-step welding process that will differentiate United Spiral Pipe from its competitors. The plant is expected to come on line in May 2009, and approximately 120 new full time manufacturing jobs will be created. Approximately 300,000 hours of local building and construction trade labor will be required to construct the facility. Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony John P. Surma, Chairman and CEO of U. S. Steel said, "North America is experiencing strong demand for spiral welded pipe due to a number of construction projects for new natural gas and oil transmission infrastructure. Both the capacity and location of the spiral welded facility will favorably position the joint venture to build a presence in the rapidly growing North American large- diameter line pipe market."
March 25th  - Projects Mumbai India - Welspun Gujarat gets orders worth 10.95 bln rupees
Steel pipe maker Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd said it has secured orders worth 10.95 billion rupees for supply of spiral pipes. The company has total orders worth 59 billion rupees, it said in a statement.
March 12th  - Projects Copenhagen Denmark - NKT Flexibles to increase production capacity by 65%
NKT Holding and 49% co-owner Acergy has jointly approved investment of around 300 mDKK for upgrade of NKT Flexibles' production facilities in Kalundborg. The investment relates to additional production lines to be established within the Kalundborg factory's existing framework. The aim of the investment project is to increase the factory's overall production capacity by up to 65%. The planned investment will also enable NKT Flexibles to develop and manufacture larger dimensions of pipes for greater depths of water. The company's product program and competitiveness will therefore be strengthened considerably. The upgrade of NKT Flexibles' production facilities is based on the growing demand for offshore and deepwater developments. We therefore anticipate prolonged and rising demand for flexible offshore pipes such as those developed and manufactured by NKT Flexibles. The expansion of capacity will be realized in the period 2008-2010 and is expected to contribute to revenue and earnings growth with effect from 2nd quarter 2010.
March 5th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - TransCanada orders 52,000 Metric Tons of Grade X80 UOE Steel Pipe from JFE Steel
JFE Steel Corporation has landed an order for approximately 52,000 metric tons of grade X801) UOE steel pipe , in partnership with Metal One Corporation, from TransCanada Corporation, a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure. Production has already begun for the pipe, which will be used for the line pipe in the customer’s North Central Corridor Pipeline Project. Demand for natural gas is growing as a source of clean energy, and so is the demand for X80 line pipe, which is stronger than conventional grade X70 steel and represents the highest grade available under widely used commercial standards. The use of X80 will improve gas transportation efficiency while also reducing total construction and operating costs. JFE Steel was the first in the world to commercially produce X80 line pipe, which it began in 1989. It has produced a total of 120,000 metric tons of the material to date, including those for TransCanada. During this period it has developed and improved a number of technologies in response to customer requirements and has also delivered grade X100 line pipe to three TransCanada projects, making it the only company in the world to produce and deliver X100 on a commercial basis. The latest order is the result of JFE Steel’s strong track record with the customer.
March 3rd  - Projects Pittsburgh Pennsylvania - United Spiral Pipe breaks ground for new facility
United Spiral Pipe, LLC, a JV of United States Steel Corporation, POSCO and SeAH Steel Corporation broke ground for a state of the art spiral welded pipe manufacturing facility. The plant is expected to come on line in May 2009. The new plant will have world class pipe making and coating facilities and be capable of producing 300,000 net tons of API specification line pipe per year in outside diameters ranging from 24 inches to 64 inches. The facility will also benefit from an advanced and automated two step welding process that will differentiate United Spiral Pipe from its competitors. Mr John P Surma chairman & CEO of US Steel said "North America is experiencing strong demand for spiral welded pipe due to a number of construction projects for new natural gas and oil transmission infrastructure. Both the capacity and location of the spiral welded facility will favorably position the joint venture to build a presence in the rapidly growing North American large diameter line pipe market." Mr MS Lee president of United Spiral Pipe said that "The strengths and expertise of our partners position United Spiral Pipe to be very competitive in the North American market. POSCO and US Steel will provide high quality hot rolled coils and SeAH is a highly experienced spiral pipe producer." US Steel and POSCO each own 35% of the joint venture. They have been partners in USS-POSCO Industries in Pittsburg for more than 20 years. The new spiral welded pipe facility is located on land owned by UPI. SeAH Steel Corporation, a manufacturer of tubular products in the Republic of Korea, will own the remaining 30% of the joint venture and brings broad expertise in manufacturing spiral welded pipe to the new company
March 1st  - Projects Duesseldorf, Germany - ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA orders an annealing and
ThyssenKrupp Stainless USA, LLC, in Mobile, USA, placed an order in November 2007 with SMS Demag, a company of the SMS group, Germany, for the complete supply of a hot-strip annealing and pickling line for the works in Calvert, Alabama. This annealing andpickling line is an integral part of a new cold rolling mill for stainless steel that is being erected by ThyssenKrupp Stainless in the USA. The essential purpose of the line is to process hot strips. The works will produce stainless steel strips that have been adapted specifically to the requirements of customers in the USA. The annealing and pickling line is designed for an annual production of 750,000 t. The main purpose of the line is to manufacture hot strip for the production of cold strip. The hot strip will additionally be utilized for tube and pipe production, apparatus engineering and in the offshore industry. The cold mill in which the annealing and pickling line will become operational is an integral part of a joint works of ThyssenKrupp Stainless and ThyssenKrupp Steel. It will commence production in 2010. ThyssenKrupp Stainless is investing around EUR 840 million in new production capacities for stainless steel.
February 29th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant starts LDP shop
The solemn ceremony of laying of the foundation stone for the plant’s future LDP shop took place at Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant, the spokesperson for ChTPZ Group (which the plant is a part of) told UrBC. The event was attended by Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Petr Sumin, Chelyabinsk Region’s representative in the Soviet of the Federation A. Komarov, Mayor of Chelyabinsk M. Yurevitch, ChTPZ Group’s BOD Chairman A. Fedorov, and Vice President of SMS MEER, ChTPZ‘s German partner. The shop, meant for production of large diameter pipes (with the diameter of 508 mm to 1,420 mm) with both inner and outer coating will be launched in 2009 and is expected to produce 600,000 tons of goods annually. This means Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant will be able to take part in large-scale pipeline projects implemented in Russia. Besides, the whole process will be made as high-tech and environmentally harmless as possible, meeting both Russian and international conservational standards. The project requires $600 worth of investments altogether. ChTPZ Group and SMS MEER signed a contract for the delivery of the needed machinery in 2007. Metal stuffs will be supplied by Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works. According to Mr. Fedorov, the construction of the new shop is one of ChTPZ’s largest projects in the last twenty years. “This is going to become Russia’s most advanced tube and pipe production facility based on unique environmentally friendly technologies that ensure the products’ great quality,” he said.
February 28th  - Projects Munich-Pullach Germany - Linde technology to boosts tube production at ArcelorMittal Shelby
ArcelorMittal Shelby - Tubular Products, Shelby, Ohio, United States, is a North American market leader for seamless and welded tubular products for end user applications in markets such as automotive; oil and gas and construction. The company needed to boost the seamless tube mill output for larger billet dimensions while minimizing operation cost (energy and maintenance). In the second half of 2007, The Linde Group converted a rotary hearth furnace for billet reheating, on a turnkey basis. A compressed (four months) project timeline from contract signing to commissioning was necessary to meet the objectives and time constraints of their project plan. The formerly air fuel fired furnace was equipped with a REBOX® oxyfuel solution including flameless technology. The conversion was made in two steps: first using oxygen-enrichment for a period of time and then implementation of the all flameless oxyfuel operation. Excellent results have been achieved, fulfilling the performance guarantees, including 25% increased reheating capacity and 50% reduced fuel consumption. Moreover, the temperature uniformity improved, producing better piercing results. The scale formation was reduced by 50%, and the emission levels of NOX and CO2 were significantly minimized. REBOX® oxyfuel solutions are employed in over 110 reheating and annealing furnaces. The use of oxyfuel will further improve important parameters such as fuel consumption, throughput capacity and emission levels. Compared to air fuel solutions, oxyfuel can boost production throughput up to 50% as well as reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emission by 50%. The first installation of this kind took place at Timken in the US in 1990.
February 21st  - Projects Moscow Russia - Stroitransgaz to build the Maly-Bagtyyarlyk and the Trans-Balkan Pipelines
Mr Viktor Lorents CEO Stroitransgaz told reporters OAO Stroitransgaz, one of the largest pipeline construction companies, has won the tender to build the Maly-Bagtyyarlyk pipeline in Turkmenistan. Mr. Lorents said Stroitransgaz is taking part in several international tenders in Turkmenistan and plans to increase its presence on the Turkmen market. At a recent meeting with Mr Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow president of Turkmenistan, Stroitransgaz managers discussed the possibilities of further cooperation and the realization of earlier agreements. The gas condensate deposit Bagtyyarlyk is located in the eastern part of Turkmenistan. Resources extracted from it will go to China. On February 7, 2008, the International Project Company for the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline (Trans-Balkan Pipeline B.V.) was registered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Shareholders, in a unanimous vote, elected the Stroytransgaz Vice-President Sergei Vinnichenko as the Chairman of the Management Board and the CEO (President) of the Company. During the shareholders’ meeting, representatives of country-participants Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece also chose members of the Supervisory Council and Management Committee. Background From 1996 through 2007, within the framework of an international agreement between Russia and Greece for the delivery of natural gas, Stroytransgaz built 446 kilometers of high-pressure gas pipelines with branch connections. In August 2007 Stroytransgaz completed construction of the 53.7-kilometer Komotini-Alexandroupolis gas pipeline. From 2000 to 2006 Stroytransgaz, as member of the Russian delegation of a three-party (Russia-Bulgaria-Greece) working committee, participated in the development of a concept for the project to build the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. In particular, the company was engaged in detailed development of the construction engineering elements.
February 20th  - Projects Essen Germany - LOI Italimpianti to supply rotary furnace to Interpipe Niko Tube
Industrial furnace producer LOI Thermprocess, an LOI Italimpianti company, has received a major contract for a rotary hearth furnace from Interpipe Niko Tube in Ukraine. The new furnace is intended to expand seamless tube production capacities and to further improve the competitiveness of the company. Production is scheduled to start in February 2009. The new rotary hearth furnace will reheat up to 96 tonne per hour of extruded steel blooms. The direct fired furnace, which will be a state of the art unit, is to replace an old rotary hearth furnace and will be integrated into the existing production plant. A special mathematical model developed by LOI Italimpianti will ensure compliance with a defined reheating process with a constant material temperature at the furnace exit. This will allow significant energy savings and will improve the quality of the material as a result of reduced scale formation.
February 11th  - Projects Kuala Lumpur Malaysia - UMW’s pipe plant in China to be ready in 2008
It is reported that UMW Holdings Bhd expects its longitudinal submerged arc welded steel pipe processing plant in China's Qinhuangdao Economic & Technical Development Area to be ready by year end. The steel pipe processing plant is being set up by Zhongyou BSS Petropipe Company Limited a 51:49 JV between UMW's wholly owned subsidiary UMW Petropipe Limited and Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe Company Limited. The plant, which would have an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes when ready would supply to the second phase of China's gas pipeline project. Mr Abdul Halim Harun MD of UMW Holdings Bhd said the plant would be the biggest of the group's plants in China in terms of size and capacity. He said UMW planned to invite the Prime Minister to launch the plant later. Mr Abdul Halim Harun said "The oil and gas industry is bullish now. It has great potential due to the high oil prices and a lot of investments by oil companies like Petronas. He said we should continue to perform better than last year in our four core businesses, especially in oil and gas and motor vehicle. He added that we study opportunities in this region. If it fits in with our business model, we will consider it."
February 9th  - Projects Santiago Chile - Codelco plans record investment in 2008
Metals Insider said Chilean state copper producer Codelco intends to lift investment to a record $2 billion this year from $1.69 billion last year, which itself was a fresh record. The bulk of the investment last year was directed at maintaining group copper production against a backdrop of declining copper grades at some of Codelco’s core operations. Key projects this year will be the completion of the Gabriela Mistral (aka Gaby) mine and the first-phase expansion of the Andina mine. Gaby, which will receive investment of $241million this year, is due to enter production around the middle of the year. Once fully ramped up it will add 150,000tpy of SX-EW cathode to Codelco’s copper production profile. Andina will receive $385million of investment this year. This project is intended to lift capacity by 30,000-40,000tpy from the current 250,000tpy at an initial stage but also support that level of production over a longer-term time horizon.
February 8th  - Projects Newcastle U.K. - £70m order secures riverside jobs for two years.
DUCO Ltd, based on the Walker Industrial Park, Newcastle, will manage the £68.9m contract to make flexible pipelines for oil and gas extraction.Managing director Alasdair Macdonald said the work, set to last until around 2010, will guarantee the future of the company's 400-strong North East staff. He said: "It's excellent. I can't say who has placed the order as it is commercially sensitive but I can say we have it and it is worth in excess of $100m." Business in oil and gas and offshore is booming at the moment. "The product will be manufactured in Houston and Angola but will be managed from here. The fact that the contract is going on until 2010 is terrific news." The flexible pipes, known as umbilicals, are made of various materials used to extract oil and gas all over the world. DUCO manufactures the umbilicals and also provides project management and engineering support to its customers from its base in Walker.
January 19th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - Sumitomo to supply line pipes for IPIC project in Abu Dhabi
Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd and Sumitomo Corporation have been awarded a contract for approximately 100,000 tonnes of large diameter welded line pipes by International Petroleum Investment Company, an enterprise wholly owned by Abu Dhabi government. Sumitomo Metals and SC will be the primary suppliers of these pipes, which will be used to build an above ground crude oil export pipeline. The 48" outside diameter welded line pipes would be manufactured by Sumitomo Metals Kashima Steel Works and coated in UAE. The order quantity is approximately 100,000 tonnes or 190 kilometers. The delivery period is July 2008 to December, 2008 UAE plans to build this pipeline as part of its national strategy to ensure stable crude oil exports. This is the first pipeline to link the Habshan field directly with Fujairah, a port city on the Gulf of Oman. The pipeline will be 360 kilometers long and use 220,000 tonnes of pipes.
January 16th  - Projects Tianjin China - TTCM China updates the status of LiaoNing Province water supply company order worth $13.2 Million
TTCM China, Inc. a producer and supplier of glass-reinforced fiber plastic pipes, said Tuesday that the Company has commenced production among other projects and approximately 32,800 feet (10,000 meters) of pipes is completed. The customer is requesting the delivery of approximately $1.3M (10,000,000 RMB) worth of pipes per month. It is expected the production will be completed by the end of May 2008.Mr. Jiqun Wang, Founder and Chairman of TTCM China, said, ~{!0~}TTCM is working to increase its market share nationwide and revenue in 2008 and beyond. The demand for our pipes for water delivery, sewage disposal and treatment plants remains very strong. We expect the growing demand for clean water delivery and flood control systems in China to continue to drive demand for our products.~{!1~}
January 11th  - Projects Dusseldorf Germany - Anhui Tianda orders for PFQ based seamless tube mill
Chinese tube producer, Anhui Tianda Oil Pipe Co Ltd has placed an order with SMS Meer for the supply of a premium quality finishing technology based 0.5 million tonne capacity seamless tube plant, which will roll maximum tube diameter of 9 5/8~{!1~}. Commissioning is scheduled for 2009. SMS Meer will provide Anhui Tianda Oil Pipe with a comprehensive PQF plant solution. This comprises the key components of the rolling mill equipment, including the media systems and the complete automation, as well as the whole engineering, project management, erection supervision and commissioning and hands on training of the operating personnel. PFQ technology allows rolling of thin walls seamless tubes with very close tolerances, lower material and energy consumption during production, new possibilities for higher material grades and greater flexibility in the rollable dimensions. It also significantly reduces emissions and has a maintenance friendly modular design that allows standstill times to be shortened and hence productivity to be increased. Following the introduction of this new technology in 2003, the output of PQF tubes will reach 4 million tonnes in 2008. The PQF technology has thus established itself on the world markets as the leading technology for the production of seamless tubes. Great interest and a high demand for the modern rolling technology currently exist in particular in the high growth countries China, India and Russia.
December 15th  - Projects Mumbai India - Zenith Birla setting up pipe-making plant
With increasing activity in the oil and gas sector throwing up a huge demand for pipelines, Zenith Birla, the flagship company of the Yash Birla group, plans to set up a new pipe making facility with an investment of Rs 250-300 crore. The plant, which is scheduled to go on stream in 2009, will be manufacturing SAW pipeline with diameter up to 24 inches. Such pipes are mainly used for oil and gas distribution through cross-country pipelines. Currently, companies such as Surya Roshni and Gujarat Wellspun manufacture pipes of maximum 16-inch diameter, while MSL produces larger pipes of 20-inch diameter. ~{!0~}The current trend for oil and gas distribution is towards pipeline transportation, as against rail or road movement, with more than 30 cross-country pipeline projects coming up in the country. We see a huge demand coming up for large diameter SAW pipes. And this is why we have decided to set up a greenfield plant,~{!1~} Mr M.S. Arora, Executive Director and CEO of Zenith Birla, told India's Business Line.
December 15th  - Projects Helsinki Finland - Rautaruukki and Gasum sign 10 million EUR gas pipeline deal.
Rautaruukki Corporation said earlier this week that it had received a contract on two significant natural gas pipeline deliveries. The company said it is to supply high-pressure natural gas pipelines made of high-strength steel for projects in Kymenlaakso and the Hameenlinna-Tampere region. The orders are said to be worth over EUR10 million.
December 14th  - Projects Regina Saskatchewan - Zamil to set up OCTG pipe end finishing facility in Dammam
It is reported that Zamil Group has signed a definitive contract with Brandt Engineered Products Limited of Canada for the development of a new seamless pipes processing facility in Dammam 2nd industrial city. The investment is anticipated to reach SA R 650 million. The plant is forecast to commence operations in 2009. The detailed design of the project, based on an earlier agreement with Brandt, is in place and construction shall start in early 2008. Brandt's scope includes design, engineering, procurement, installation supervision and commissioning.
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December 13th  - Projects Islamabad Pakistan/Tehran Iran - Iran, Pakistan decide to go ahead with gas pipeline - or have they?
Pakistan and Iran Wednesday claimed to have "finally" decided to go ahead with a gas pipeline project without India's participation, and Indian officials termed the move a "pressure tactic". "We have finally decided to go ahead with the project without New Delhi's involvement," a senior official of Pakistan's petroleum ministry told IANS a day after the 11th Pakistan-Iran Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project concluded in Islamabad. Requesting anonymity, he added the group had decided that India might be included in the project at a later stage. He said the pipeline will have the capacity to carry the gas to the Indian border if New Delhi expressed its willingness to join the project. (see also tubenews news item November 12th Iranians hopeful IPI pipeline coming up by 2013). A later report from Islamabad said:" Pakistan will undertake a feasibility study starting January-March 2008 on a proposed pipeline that will deliver natural gas from Iran to Pakistan and India, Pakistan's Petroleum Ministry said Wednesday. "Pakistan is about to complete the work to appoint a consultant firm which will initiate the feasibility study on the project within Pakistan territory by the first quarter of the next year", says the statement.
See Extended Story..
December 11th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK signs $2 billion pipe supply deal with TNK-BP
Russian steel pipe maker TMK said on Monday it had signed a $2 billion agreement to supply products to Russian oil producer TNK-BP over five years to 2012. The agreement replaces a $500 million contract that covered three years and expires at the end of 2007. "TMK's strategy is based on long-term partnership with oil and gas companies," Chief Executive Konstantin Semerikov said in a statement. TMK, or Trubnaya Metallurgicheskaya Kompaniya, is majority owned by billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky and counts among its customers Russian gas giant Gazprom , Royal Dutch Shell and Saudi Aramco. TNK-BP, Russia's third-largest oil firm, is half-owned by oil major BP
December 8th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK installing a new finishing line at Volzhsky Pipe Plant
TMK has announced that a new finishing line for casing pipes is being installed at its Volzhsky Pipe Plant subsidiary. This new equipment will be added to the No3 pipe rolling workshop TPC-3 and will have 200,000 tonnes of annual finishing capacity. Commissioning of the new line is scheduled for June 2008. The equipment will be supplied by IVTWH of Germany, Bronx of USA and EMAG of Germany and installed by Teploenergomontazh of Russia. Over 46 tonnes of equipment has been already installed in the workshop. Volzhsky~{!/~}s TCP-3 produces seamless casing and line pipes with diameters ranging from 168mm to 426 mm for use in oil and gas production and in the power industry. The construction of this new casing finishing line is part of TMK~{!/~}s Strategic Investment Programme, running up to 2010. The workshop is to undergo further upgrading with the installation of a new 340,000 tonnes per annum heat treatment line and a production line with integrated phosphatising for casing couplings. Hot rolling equipment will also be upgraded and modified to permit the use of round billets, allowing its capacity to be increased to 720,000 tonnes of pipes per year.
December 5th  - Projects Luxembourg/Abuja, Nigeria - ArcelorMittal to build a large diameter pipe plant in Nigeria
ArcelorMittal, last week announced its intention to construct a 300 000 tonne per annum Longitudinal Submerged Arc Welded pipe mill in Nigeria. The decision was made as a result of an independent project feasibility study ArcelorMittal conducted after receiving an invitation to invest by the Nigerian Government through the Nigerian Content Department (NCD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The mill will be located within the Calabar Free Trade Zone in Cross River State of Nigeria. Construction on the mill is due to begin in early 2008, with production starting in 2010. The mill will produce large diameter welded pipes in the size range of 20” – 56” of up to X80 steel grade and wall thicknesses of between 6.4mm and 38mm, in line with the oil and gas industry’s technical specifications. The investment, which ties in with the medium to long term opportunities for gas pipelines in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, is welcomed by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the international oil companies who see this as a step in the right direction for Nigeria towards meeting its local content targets by 2010.
November 15th  - Projects Istanbul Turkey - Borusan bags major pipe line order from Elba in US
It is reported that leading Turkish pipe maker Borusan Mannesmann Boru has won a USD 170 million tender from Elba Express to build a natural gas pipeline in the southeastern US. Borusan will build 312 kilometer pipeline for Elba. Istanbul based company announces that 312 kilometer pipeline for Elba would be will its largest project till date.
November 5th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $11M order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Friday day that it had received a verbal order and notice to proceed as pipe supplier to W.W. Clyde of Springville, Utah for the Spanish Fork Reach near Spanish Fork, Utah. The Company will supply approximately 11,500 feet of 96 inch steel pipe valued at approximately $11 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Pleasant Grove, Utah division with delivery scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2008.
October 27th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - Sumitomo Metals expands capacity for high end boiler tubes
Sumitomo Metals constructed the new manufacturing facilities at the Pipe & Tube Company's Steel Tube Works at Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture, to meet growing demand for super high end boiler tubes and has held a completion ceremony. Once this new capacity comes fully on stream, Sumitomo Metals will be able to produce 18,000 tonnes per year of super high end boiler tubes, 50% more than the current annual capacity of 12,000 tonnes. Sumitomo Metals plans to leverage this additional capacity to accelerate its distinctiveness in the energy sector. Summary of new facilities 1. Construction cost: JPY 6.5 billion 2. Construction schedule: September 2006 to October 2007 3. Main facilities: Cold drawing mill for pipe production, heat treatment furnace, inspection line etc. 4. Product types: Stainless steel boiler tubes mainly for USC boiler in coal-fired thermal power plants 5. Products: special stainless steel, containing nickel and chrome 6. Production capacity: 6,000 tonnes per year resulting in an increase in total capacity from 12,000 tonnes per year to 18,000 tonnes per year Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd has a commanding 80% worldwide share of the market for super high end boiler tubes, which are used in ultra super critical 1 boilers of coal fired thermal power plants. In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in construction of these highly efficient power plants in light of rising demand for electricity around the world and environmental considerations.
October 25th  - Projects Rio de Janeiro Brazil - TenarisConfab, MMX ink deal for slurry pipeline
Brazilian steel tube and equipment producer TenarisConfab and local mining and metals company MMX have signed a contract for the supply of pipes for MMX's Minas-Rio iron complex, Confab told the São Paulo stock exchange Bovespa. Confab said in September it received, together with Japan's Marubeni-Itochu Steel and Argentina's Siat, a letter of intent from MMX regarding a possible deal for the MMX project. Under the final contract, Confab will supply some 249km of welded pipes for a slurry pipeline, among other services, in a deal worth US$170mn including freight and taxes. Deliveries are due to occur between March and December 2008. Siat and Marubeni-Itochu will provide the remaining pipes for the project, which according to MMX's website, is expected to stretch a total of 525km. The slurry pipeline will have capacity to transport 26.6Mt/y of pellet feed and will connect Minas-Rio's iron ore mines in Minas Gerais state with the Açu port terminal in Rio de Janeiro state.
October 19th  - Projects Jubail Saudi Arabia - Jubail Energy to start seamless tube mill in Q1 of 2009
Trade Arabia Business news reports that Jubail Energy Services Company aims to roll out seamless pipes from its manufacturing unit by 2009 in a turnkey project. Construction of a seamless pipe mill, described as the first in the GCC, is under way at the Jubail Industrial City. Its production start-up is planned for first quarter of 2009 with a production capacity of 500,000 tonnes of seamless pipes covering OCTG products and line pipes for the oil and gas industry. Danieli Spa Italy is supplying a state-of-the-art technology to Jesco to make seamless pipes. It will be the very first operating seamless pipe mill in the very demanding market for OCTG seamless pipes in the Middle East, said an Arab News report. Jesco is aiming to fit in the highly competitive environment of seamless pipes manufacturing by producing its items with the latest technology available, committed to the highest qualitative levels, shorter supply chain to its users and offering competitive rates for its products. Jesco will create about 3,000 jobs directly and indirectly in the region, aiming to achieve a high percent of Saudization in its workforce, transferring knowledge of the very new industry to the areas, providing challenging opportunities to its employees in a healthy work environment. The company, capitalisted at SR750 million, is 51 per cent owned by the Industrial and Energy Service Company. The rest of the shares are owned by different Saudi and non-Saudi investors.
October 19th  - Projects Washington D.C. - Lawmakers blast DHS for building border fence with Chinese steel pipes
House members allied with the domestic steel industry blasted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday for building a fence on the Mexican border with Chinese steel. “By allowing the use of Chinese pipe [a type of steel], DHS is allowing the U.S. taxpayer to subsidize Chinese production at the expense of the American workers,” Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) said at a press conference. “This is completely unacceptable.” “This is outrageous, it’s offensive and it’s unacceptable,” charged Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.). English displayed photos of a portion of the border fence from San Luis, Ariz., that shows pipes marked “China” holding the border fence in place. He said DHS’s Office of Congressional Affairs had indicated it had waived the so-called Buy American rules in order to use the Chinese pipe and tube. The rules normally require the use of U.S. steel in such projects. The Office of Public Affairs referred questions to Customs Border Protection, which did not respond by press time. GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.), who authored a bill signed into law last year mandating 850 miles of fence along the border, said DHS should have gone to U.S. producers to procure any necessary steel or pipe. “The Department of Homeland Security has, the last time I checked, $800 million cash on hand available to build the border fence. So they don’t have to go and get cut-rate deals to build the border fence,” Hunter said. U.S. pipe makers can “easily” supply the products necessary for the fence, Hunter insisted. He also criticized DHS for only building 5.11 miles of the “double-fence” required by his bill. The lawmakers said they did not know if there was a bidding process that led to the use of the Chinese goods. They also said they were unaware if any U.S. companies bid for contracts related to the fence but were turned down. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) said he was concerned about the safety of Chinese steel. However, when pressed, he and other lawmakers could not cite any specific safety problems that might result from the use of foreign pipe in a fence. Visclosky did note other safety issues that have recently come up with toys from China, while English said the use of Chinese inputs in U.S. infrastructure prompts broader concerns. Members of the congressional steel caucus have invited DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff to testify at an Oct. 31 hearing on possible safety issues regarding Chinese pipe.
October 17th  - Projects Wuxi - Maanshan bags order for 2nd line of West East gas pipeline
It is reported that China's Ma'anshan Steel has inked contract to supply 1000 tons of pipeline steel for the second line of West-East Gas Pipeline, which starting from Xinjiang's Huoerguosi and ending at Shanghai and Guangxi's Nanning. The line lasts over 7000 kilometers and would consume 4 million tonnes of X80 grade coil and plate including 2.24 million tonnes of coils. The line is scheduled to start construction from December of 2007 to 2011. The long gas pipeline requires steel with high strength and tenacity and satisfying corrosion resistant and temperature difference proof performances. Ma'anshan Steel began trial production of 2250mm HR in this May and rolled out qualified pipeline steel two months later.
October 15th  - Projects Beijing China - Pan Cheng Gang hot commissions seamless tube mill
Chengdu Iron & Steel Co, under Chinese Panzhihua Iron & Steel Group, reported sound performance. Its hot commission of 159 continuous rolling tube units was successful as it rolled out the first seamless pipe. The unit, designed with annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes is able to produce seamless tubes I n diameters of 48.3mm to 177.8mm.
October 15th  - Projects Berlin Germany - Rumors of imminent takeover groundless, Tenaris says
Tenaris, the maker of specialist steel pipes for oil and gas exploration, has pledged it will remain independent, ruling out any possible sale to ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steel producer. In recent weeks, there has been speculation that Tenaris might be the target of the acquisitive Luxembourg-based steelmaker headed by the Indian entrepreneur Lakshmi Mittal.Tenaris is based in Buenos Aires but is listed on the Milan and New York stock exchanges and has a market capitalization of more than $30bn.
October 9th  - Projects Los Angeles California - Terra Nostra announces record revenue of $284.8 Million in 2006 - planning new rod and tube line
Terra Nostra Resources Corporation, a majority owner of two joint venture companies in the copper and stainless steel industries in China, reported financial results last week for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2007. Revenue reached a record of $284.8 million, operating profits of $1.8 million as compared to an operating loss of $13.5 million for fiscal 2006. The year saw the ramping up of stainless steel production facilities, and the inauguration of 150,000 metric ton ("MT") stainless steel rolling mill. The increase in revenue was driven primarily through increased sales in the stainless steel joint venture, and completion of the acquisition of the copper joint venture. Gross profit for the fiscal year was $18.1 million, as compared to a loss of $1.7 million for the same period a year ago. Operating profits were $1.8 million, as compared to a loss of $13.5 million in fiscal year 2006. Cost of sales for the year was $266.7 million as compared to a cost of sales of $6.8 million in 2006. "At present, strong market conditions for the company's products exist in China. Demand for stainless steel and copper remains high, driven by continued economic growth and development in China. This market situation has allowed Terra Nostra to pre-sell certain production at premium contracted prices," stated Mr. Sun Liu James Po, Terra Nostra's Chief Executive Officer. "We expect these strong market conditions to remain for the foreseeable future while the Company continues to ramp up production at current facilities to full capacity to meet market demands."
See Extended Story..
October 6th  - Projects North Ryde NSW Australia - Briefing Boulder Steel Seamless Tube Projects
The directors of Boulder Steel Limited said in a press release that the company was pleased to announce that further progress had been made towards securing the full financing package for the Company’s Seamless Tube Project in Australia and the Finishing Plant in the United Arab Emirates. The European bank with whom Boulder has been in discussions regarding the debt funding for the Projects had confirmed its strong interest in providing the debt funding package for the two projects. The bank has also expressed interest in providing some equity funding directly to the projects (not through placement of Boulder shares). In view of this unexpected proposal by the bank, the Company has decided to defer seeking Shareholders’ Approval for the proposed equity fund raising through private placement until the Company and the bank have confirmed, in principle, the final debt/equity mix and the terms on which any direct project equity funding by the bank would be provided (the parties are aiming to confirm these matters within the next several weeks). The provision of direct project equity funding by the bank may result in less equity having to be raised through the placement of shares and thereby reduce the dilution of issued share capital in the interest of the Company’s existing shareholders. Boulder management, in close co-operation with other project parties, will deliver the documentation requested by the bank to allow the bank to reach internal approval and to confirm Project funding before year’s end.
October 4th  - Projects Paris - Nexans wins 30 million Euro umbilicals order
Nexans, has been awarded a 30 million Euro contract by the state-owned Brazilian company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) to supply umbilicals for the Mexilhao gas field in the Santos Basin, off the coast of the state of Sao Paulo. Nexans is supplying two different umbilical designs, totalling around 59 km in length, to connect the fixed platform to the subsea manifold and the manifold to the individual wellheads. Delivery should commence in Q4 2008, and the umbilicals should be shipped to the Petrobras base in Vitoria/ES (state of Espirito Santo) Brazil. The Nexans umbilicals will be used to provide electronic control of systems on the sea bed, and hydraulic and chemical liquid injection. The Mexilhao project is particularly challenging due to the high temperatures (+130°C at the well heads) and working pressures (10,000 psi) involved, which require very thick steel tube walls.
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October 3rd  - Projects Mumbai India - ISMT to triple tube capacity at Baramati plant
ISMT, a manufacturer of steel and tubular products, is set to triple its tube manufacturing capacity at an investment of Rs 2.6 billion, reports Business Line. The company will increase its capacity from current 155,000 tons per annum (tpa) to 475,000 tpa at its Baramati plant. Further, the company is also enhancing its steel manufacturing capacity from 250,000 tpa to 500,000 tpa. The company`s expansion plan has been given the `mega project` status by the Maharashtra Government and hence, will help it entail concessions like the seven-year tax holiday. Recently, the company completed acquisition of Structo Hydraulics, which makes hydraulic cylinder tubes.
October 1st  - Projects Tucson Arizona - 70 miles of Mexico USA border fencing added in September
After sluggish progress, U.S. officials announce that the stretch of barriers has grown to 145 miles at the end of September. The federal government's border fencing effort has accelerated rapidly in recent weeks with barriers rising in towns from California to New Mexico and workers completing the longest stretch of continuous fencing on the U.S.-Mexico frontier. The Department of Homeland Security reached its goal of completing 70 miles of new fencing by the end of September, nearly doubling the length of barriers on the border to about 145 miles. "When we make a commitment, we will carry through on the commitment," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who went to Arizona on Friday to mark the progress and welded part of the fence in the town of Douglas. Whether the new fencing slows illegal immigration remains to be seen, but the project is a milestone in another way. Once limited mainly to cities, fencing along the 1,952-mile border is now going up in rural areas, where much of the illegal immigration traffic has shifted in recent years. One thing is for sure fence makers will have a bonanza
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September 26th  - Projects Minsk Byelorussia - New seamless tube mill at BMZ, officially opened
The largest Byelorussian steel producer, Byelorussian Steel Works (BMZ), celebrated the official opening of a complete seamless tube plant supplied by SMS Meer, Germany. At its plant in Zhlobin, some 200 km south-east of the capital, Minsk, BMZ produces around 1.8 million t/a of steel that is subsequently processed further into a variety of finished products such as wire rod or bars. The new seamless tube plant will expand the range of finished products by 250,000 t/a of seamless tubes. The new plant is designed for tubes in the diameter range from 21.3 up to 168.3 mm. The tube lengths vary between 6 and 15 m. Production includes tubes for the oil and gas industry (OCTG), ball bearing tubes, boiler tubes and structurals.
September 25th  - Projects Monchengladbach Germany - SMS Meer, gets large-diameter pipe mill order for China
Zhongyou BSS Petropipe Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of the Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe Co. Ltd., China, has placed an order with SMS Meer, Germany, for the supply of a large-diameter pipe mill. The new mill employing the JCOE process developed by SMS Meer will have a capacity of up to 150,000 t/a and be the most modern of its kind in China. It will be used to produce longitudinal SAW steel pipes with diameters from 508 to 1,422 mm and wall thicknesses up to 40 mm in max. lengths of 12.2 m and material grades up to X100. The plant is to be built in the Qinhuangdao special economic zone near Beijing and is scheduled to go into production in summer 2008.
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September 7th  - Projects Monchengladbach Germany - SMS Meer supplies 4th large-diameter pipe mill to China
Zhongyou BSS Petropipe Co Limited a subsidiary of the Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe Co Ltd of China has placed an order with SMS Meer a company of the SMS group for the supply of a large diameter pipe mill. The new mill employing the JCOE® process developed by SMS Meer will have an annual capacity of up to 150,000 tonnes and be the most modern of its kind in China. It will be used to produce longitudinal SAW steel pipes with diameters from 508 mm to 1,422 mm and wall thicknesses up to 40 mm in lengths of maximal 12.2 m and material grades up to X100. The plant is to be built in the Qinhuangdao special economic zone near Beijing and is scheduled to go into production in summer 2008. Crucial aspects for the placement of the order were the advantages offered by the JCOE® process with the JCO® pipe forming press as main forming aggregate. The JCOE® process has established itself on the market worldwide in competition with the UOE process and three roll bending process due to its higher flexibility with high product quality and lower investment costs. It has been employed in ten pipe mills to date in recent years. SMS Meer is to supply the key machines for the plant, such as the plate edge miller, the technological components of the crimping press, the JCO® pipe forming press, a hydraulically adjustable tack welding machine and a mechanical expander. The pipes produced are to be employed in pipeline construction and meet all the relevant API standards. They are intended for use in pipelines transporting oil and gas from Chinese rigs in the northeast of the country to the major cities in the east and southeast.
September 1st  - Projects Beijing China - Golden Dragon builds state of the art tube plant in Mexico
China's Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, a major maker of copper tubing, has started building a $100 million plant in Mexico as it targets a 56 percent gain in total output by next year, an executive said. The state-owned company is constructing the 120,000 ton factory in Monclova, Coahuila State, Li Changjie, president of Henan-based Golden Dragon said in a phone interview today. Total output next year is forecast at 500,000 tons, from 320,000 tons this year, Li said. China is the biggest exporter of copper tubes, used in air- conditioners. Golden Dragon, which produces 60 percent of China's output, is expanding overseas after profits rose. The U.S. is the world's top copper consumer after China. ``We can enjoy tax breaks because of the free-trade zone agreements between Mexico and the U.S., and benefit from rising demand in the North American market,'' said Li. Construction of the plant began Thursday, and production from the initial installed capacity of 60,000 tons will start from the end of 2008, Li said.
August 29th  - Projects Islamabad Pakistan - Government awards TAP pipeline contract to US company.
The Pakistan government has awarded the contract of laying the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline project to the United States International Oil Company (IOC) with an estimated cost of $10 billion. Geo News quoted a press release issued by the oil company’s liaison office stating that the contract for the 2,200-kilometre TAP gas pipeline, scheduled for completion within three years, had been awarded to the US-based company. It said two oil refineries and four thermal powerhouses, with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, would also be established under this project. It further reported that the pipeline would be built up to Gwadar and would supply two million barrels of oil and four billion cubic feet of natural gas to Pakistan every day. APP quoted IOC’s press statement as saying that a $3.5-billion refinery would also be built at Gwadar under the terms of the contract. Online reported that the project envisages the construction of a Hydro-cracker to facilitate the production of JP-1 and JP-4 petroleum products in Pakistan for the first time in the nation’s history. According to sources in the International Oil Company, the matters of security and insurance in Afghanistan during the laying of the pipeline have been finalized between the oil company and authorities, and a signing ceremony confirming the mega-project agreement would be held shortly.
August 17th  - Projects Brussels Belgium - Umicore to invest more than €40 million in South America
Umicore has decided to invest more than €40 million in the construction of a new industrial facility in Americana, Brazil. The facility will house activities that are currently located at the company’s site in Guarulhos1 and will offer these activities improved possibilities for further growth in the coming years. The Guarulhos site is more than 40 years old and no longer offers the possibility to expand the existing businesses or to add new activities. Also, over the years, the site has gradually been surrounded by residential areas and Umicore believes that it is more suitable for the activities to be situated in a dedicated industrial site.The Guarulhos operations will be moved to the site of Umicore’s Automotive Catalyst operations in Americana, some 150 km to the north. New facilities will be built at the site incorporating state-of-the-art production and environmental technologies. The installations will also have ample space into which to grow in the future. The workforce in Guarulhos has been offered the possibility of moving to the new facilities and those that choose to make the move will be provided with financial and other assistance. The Guarulhos site will be cleaned of any historical pollution and sold. The total investment amount is expected to be somewhat more than €40 million. It is anticipated that the move will be completed by July 2009. This investment in Brazil follows a similar decision to move the Catalyst Technologies activities in Buenos Aires (Argentina) to a new plant outside the city by early 2008. The new facility will involve an investment of some €4 million. Umicore’s South American operations have been growing strongly in recent years. These investments underscore the company’s commitment to developing a platform for the further growth of its activities in the region.
August 4th  - Projects Izhevsk Russia - Mechel announces reconstruction of rolling production at its Izhstal facility (see also news item July 19)
Mechel announced the commencement of reconstruction of its Light-Section-Wire Mill 250, located at its Izhstal facility. After the reconstruction, the mill will be able to expand its metal product mix with regard to product grades and sections, improve quality, and reduce consumption ratios and production costs. The reconstruction of Mill 250 is in line with Mechel's overall capital expenditure program for 2007-2011. The development and technical re-equipment of Mechel's steel subsidiaries is carried out aimed at improving their production performance, reducing costs, and improving product quality. The work to design, manufacture and deliver equipment for the mill reconstruction is carried out by Siemens VAI Metals Technologies S.R.L. of Germany. The project duration is expected to be approximately 18 months and cost approximately US$45.0 million. The mill will produce a variety of long products of carbon, alloyed, high-speed, and stainless steel, including thermostrengthened rebars. These products will be used in construction and engineering industries, as well as in hardware production at the Izhstal facility itself.
August 3rd  - Projects Sydney Australia - Boulder Steel Receives US$ 91 million in equity funding commitments for seamless tube project
Boulder Steel Limited announced Thursday it has received commitments from companies owned by Messrs Abdul Rahman Falaknaz and Mohammad Yousuf Al Ali, Boulder Steel’s two major shareholders, and a US-based private equity company, to participate in a private placement of Boulder Steel shares that will raise US$91 million for the Company. Dr. Peter Wallner, Boulder Steel Managing Director & CEO, commented: "The firm commitments we received reflect the significant progress Boulder Steel has made in the development of our Seamless Tube Project. Raising the equity funds through this placement represents a major milestone in the Company’s progress toward completing the total financing package required to realize the Seamless Tube Project." The project consists of a steel plant, a tube mill and finishing facility in Ipswich, Queensland, as well as a finishing plant in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Boulder, through its 100% owned subsidiary Asia Pacific Seamless Tubes Limited (APST), is developing a state-of-the-art steel plant and production facility for seamless steel tubes, the only one of its kind in Australia. The primary markets for this Project will be Australia and the Asia Pacific region. Production is expected to commence in early 2009, with 350,000 tons of steel to be produced annually after ramp-up. In addition, Boulder, in co-operation with local partners, plans to build a state-of-the-art finishing plant for seamless tubes in the United Arab Emirates.
July 14th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK, Corinth Pipeworks joint venture launches new production line
Russian pipe producer OAO TMK said TMK-CPW, a joint venture between a TMK unit and Greece's largest steel pipemaker Corinth Pipeworks SA, has launched a new production line at the Seversky Tube Works plant. The company said the TMK-CPW joint venture activity is aimed at increasing TMK sales of premium products and at satisfying the growing demand for high quality products from key industries. Annual production capacity of this venture amounts to about 200,000 tonnes of tubular goods, TMK added.
July 12th  - Projects Shanghai China - NDRC approves Golden Dragon's 60,000-ton copper tube project in Mexico
Henan Golden Dragon Precision Copper Tube Group, China's largest copper tube manufacturer recently received National Development and Reform Commission approval for its 60,000 inner-grooved copper tube facility in Mexico.
July 10th  - Projects Hangzhou China - Zhejiang Dada to start-up stainless seamless pipe project.
Zhejiang Dada Stainless Steel Co in Hangzhou is commissioning its 10,000 ton per year stainless seamless pipe project in July 2007. Dada's stainless pipe project started construction at the start of 2005. It consists of two phases, first with 10 seamless pipe lines and second with 10 large, medium and small caliber welded pipe production lines as well as large caliber hydraulic draw bench. The second phase will begin construction next year and is slated for operation in 2009. Once the whole project completes it will produce seamless pipes with outside diameter between 6mm and 530mm, in thicknesses from 1mm to 20mm and length in 1000mm to 13000mm, hygienic level mirror pipe with outside diameter in 10mm to159mm, thickness in 0.8mm to 6mm and length in 4000mm to 6000mm and welded pipe with external diameter in 8mm to 2450mm and thickness in 0.5mm to 25mm. The specs will include 304, 304L, 321, 316, 316L, 317L, 321H, 310S, 347 and 347H special specs cover 2205, 2507, 904L, 520Si2, GH3030, HG800 etc. Zhejiang Dada Stainless is to source round billets from Baosteel No 5 Steel, TISCO, Zhejiang Jiuli Stainless and importing for the first phase seamless pipe production. It is a part of Zhejiang Guangda Stainless Steel Co, a private owned company producing and trading stainless products.
July 10th  - Projects Lysaker, Norway - Aker Kvaerner receives major umbilical contract
Aker Kvaerner has signed a contract with Subsea 7 Norway for the manufacturing and supply of steel tube umbilicals for Norsk Hydro's Vega and Troll O2 developments in the North Sea. The contract, worth NOK 434 million, is one of Aker Kvaerner's largest stand-alone umbilical contracts to date. Aker Kvaerner Subsea will deliver approximately 60 kilometres of static and dynamic umbilicals to Subsea 7 for their developments at Norsk Hydro's Vega and Troll 02 fields. Umbilicals for the Troll O2 project represents NOK 33 million of the total contract value."This order further confirms our position as the leading supplier of steel tube umbilicals worldwide," says Raymond Carlsen, executive vice president, Aker Kvaerner Subsea. "It shows yet again that we are capable of serving customers that require large volumes. We are of course delighted and proud to secure a contract of this size". Work on the umbilicals will commence immediately. They will be manufactured at Aker Kvaerner Subsea's facility in Moss, Norway. Delivery is scheduled for April 2009.
July 9th  - Projects Mumbai India - Welspun-Gujarat to build US$ 100 million pipe facility in USA
Metal pipe manufacturer Welspun-Gujarat Stahl Rohren is planning to build a US$100 million manufacturing facility in Arkansas USA and expects to start production by Spring of 2008. The Arkansas facility, once completed, would be capable of 300,000 net tonnes of tubular steel pipes annually for use in the oil and gas industry and Welspun Gujarat would hire about 300 workers, the company said in a statement. The facility would be adjacent to the Little Rock Port authority. The news follows an announcement that Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren has opted out of its JV with Lone Star Technologies of the US after Lone Star was acquired recently by US Steel.
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June 28th  - Projects Houston Texas - J. Ray McDermott awarded pipeline project in Qatar
McDermott International, Inc. announced today that its subsidiary, J. Ray McDermott, S.A. ("J. Ray"), has been awarded a contract by Qatargas 3 and Qatargas 4 for the construction engineering, transportation and installation of two 38" diameter pipelines, totaling 130 kilometers in length, and two 22" diameter interconnecting pipelines, in Qatar's North Field. The pipelines will connect three wellhead platforms, WHP7, WHP8 and WHP9, with the onshore facilities at Ras Laffan Industrial City. "Winning this project signifies our customer's confidence in our capabilities to handle major projects with successful results," said Bob Deason, Chief Executive Officer of J. Ray. "Construction work is already underway on the three associated wellhead topsides that were awarded to J. Ray in 2006. As such, J. Ray will offer the customer greater synergies for the pipeline project, based on our project team's experience with the topsides contract." The project will be executed by J. Ray's Jebel Ali, UAE-based project team and utilize the region's marine equipment. The scope of work also involves laying a total of 138 kilometers of 38" diameter combined power and fibre-optic cables interconnecting the wellhead platforms with the onshore facilities, as well as two 0.5 kilometer 22" diameter intra-field pipelines. These intra-field pipelines are fabricated with corrosion resistant alloy material.
June 28th  - Projects Beijing China - PetroChina to complete west crude pipe by end-June
Top Chinese oil and gas firm PetroChina plans to complete its crude oil pipeline in northwest China by the end of this month, an industry newspaper said on Wednesday. The pipeline, which runs from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang region, to Lanzhou in Gansu province, is expected to be completed by June 30, according to a report by China Petroleum daily, a newspaper run by China National Petroleum Corp., the parent company of PetroChina. PetroChina could not immediately be reached for comment. PetroChina, Asia's largest oil and gas company, has also built an oil product pipeline along a similar route and had filled up the 10 million tonnes per year (200,000 barrels per day) oil product line in September last year. The two pipelines will eventually be connected to the China-Kazakhstan crude pipeline, which started flowing Kazakh oil early last year. PetroChina operates three refineries in Xinjiang to process crude produced in the region and imported from Kazakhstan.
June 27th  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL emerges as lowest bidder for IOC Dadri Panipat pipe line
PSL Ltd announced that it has emerged as the lowest bidder as Indian Oil Corporation opens the price bid for its first gas pipeline from Dadri to Panipat for pipes of 30" diameter. The project cost is approximately INR 165 Crores. PSL release said that "Receiving this order will be a step further with the Company's association with Indian Oil Corporation". PSL's order book on receipt of this order will exceed INR 2400 Crores.
June 23rd  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL bags major pipe orders from Sharjah and Malaysia
Indian pipe major PSL Limited has bagged orders worth INR 380 crore from Sharjah and Malaysia. PSL said that Petronas Malaysia has contracted for USD 43 million (INR176.3 crore). Pipes for Petronas will be supplied from the Kandla unit in Gujarat. Petronas will use PSL pipes for its Peninsular Gas Utilization Project a Malaysian internal gas network. The order will be executed by March 2008. In Sharjah, PSL has 3 orders worth USD 50 million (approx INR 205 crore). The supply will partially be made from PSL~{!/~}s newly commissioned unit at Sharjah. PSL~{!/~}s Sharjah facility has an installed capacity of 75,000 tonnes per annum of spiral pipes with facilities for three layered polyethylene coating, internal liquid epoxy coating, and concrete weight coating.
June 22nd  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $7.5 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it was named as pipe supplier by John D. Stephens of Lawrenceville, Georgia for a water transmission pipeline for Gwinnett County Department of Public Utilities. The Company will supply approximately 25,000 feet of steel pipe valued at approximately $7.5 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Parkersburg, West Virginia division with delivery scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2007.
May 31st  - Projects Oslo Norway - Sumitomo Metals wins new long-term contract with Statoil
Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd (Sumitomo Metals), and Sumitomo Corporation (SC) have been awarded an exclusive five-year Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) supply contract by the Norwegian energy company Statoil ASA (Statoil). Under the contract, Sumitomo Metals and SC will supply high-end and super high-end seamless OCTGs, one of the mainstay products of Sumitomo Metals. The contract also calls for the supply of a new item, super duplex, annual demand for which is expected to be in the range of 500-1,000 tons. Statoil is Scandinavia's leading energy company. Headquartered in Norway, it has a presence in more than 30 countries. Statoil primarily uses VAM brand premium connection for its OCTGs. The company is expanding its operations from the Norwegian Continental Shelf to international markets, making it increasingly important for Sumitomo Metals and SC to supply reliable OCTG products. Sumitomo Metals and SC have been supplying OCTGs and line pipes (principally high-end products) to Statoil since the late 1980s, with total supply to date of approximately 1.2 million tons. As the current long-term contract will expire in March 2008, a new tender (for 2008-2013) was announced at the end of 2006. Based on a 20-year track record, Statoil acknowledged Sumitomo's reliable performance and edge in product quality, especially in high-grade material and premium connections. Consequently, Sumitomo Metals and SC were deemed to be the best supplier, and were awarded another contract.
May 31st  - Projects Mobile Alabama - Berg Pipe inks $6.6M in incentives part of plan deal with city and state.
Gov. Bob Riley joined city and state officials Tuesday at the Museum of Mobile to sign a project agreement with Berg Steel Pipe Corp. that includes $6.6 million in incentives for a $75 million plant that company officials say will create at least 100 full-time jobs. A new company, Berg Spiral Pipe Corp., has been created to run the Mobile plant, said Dave Delie, Berg Steel Pipe's president and chief executive officer. The local plant, a wholly owned subsidiary of Panama City, Fla.-based Berg Steel Pipe, will produce large-diameter steel pipe, known as spiral pipe, used by the oil and gas industry, he said. The deal inked Tuesday included more than $1 million in newly announced incentives in addition to $5.6 million in tax breaks approved by the Mobile Industrial Development Board several months ago "to entice the project since they were looking at Louisiana, too, at that time," said Bill Sisson, vice president of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.
May 19th  - Projects Raleigh North Carolina - KobeWieland announces $71 million expansion, 65 new jobs
KobeWieland Copper Products a company that supplies copper pipe and tubing will expand its manufacturing facility in Stokes County by investing $71 million over the next three years, Gov. Mike Easley announced Wednesday. KobeWieland Copper Products LLC, which employs 483 workers at its facility in Pine Hall, expects to create 65 jobs offering an average weekly wage of $857 plus benefits. The county's average wage is $456 a week without benefits, according to Easley's office. The company supplies tubing for the air conditioning and plumbing industries. It received a $130,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which provides funding to recruit businesses or encourage expansion in the state. "We consider it an advantage working with our established and highly skilled work force rather than moving offshore," KobeWieland chief executive Steffen Sigloch said in a written statement Wednesday. "Also, a location in North Carolina is a logistical benefit to our North American customer base." Kobe Steel Ltd. of Japan and Wieland-Werke AG of Germany formed KobeWieland Copper Products in January 2003. The company, an international supplier of copper pipe and tubing for the air-conditioning and plumbing industries, currently employs about 500 people in Pine Hall. Last year, KobeWieland spent $10 million upgrading equipment at the plant. The investments were planned to allow the company to remain competitive internationally, officials said. "In the last two years, we modernized our wholesale-product lines, and now, over the next two years, we’ll be able to modernize and expand our industrial product lines," Steffen Sigloch, the CEO of KobeWieland, said yesterday. "Our work force is excited about having the opportunity to modernize and expand the North Carolina facility with an all-new production line for copper tubing," Sigloch said
May 18th  - Projects Mumbai India - Tube Investments to spend 3 billion rupees on expansion
Steel tubes and bicycle maker Tube Investments of India Ltd. plans to spend 2.5-3 billion rupees in 2007/08 to set up a chains and tubes plant and expand auto parts capacity, a senior official said on Wednesday. The company is also looking at acquiring hydraulic cylinder tube makers and large-conveyor belt capacities abroad to spread business risk between auto and non-auto segments, Chief Financial Officer K Balasubramanian said
May 15th  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL Awarded prestigious contract worth Rs.135 crores by GAIL India
PSL Ltd has announced that the Company has now been awarded with a prestigious contract valuing Rs 135 Crores from GAIL India, owners and constructors of Dabhol - Panvel High Pressure Gas Transmission Pipeline Phase 2. The said contract is for supply of 30" diameter line pipe for 124 K.M. spiral saw weld pipes. This Project will be completed with the facilities at Company's recently commissioned State of the Art Two Step Pipe Mill at Kandla in Gujarat to cater to high pressure oil & gas requirement both in the domestic as well as international market. The HSAW pipe mills established by the Company at Kandla, Chennai & Vizag having an aggregate capacity exceeding 1 million ton and can meet similar global requirements.
May 3rd  - Projects Dammam, Saudi Arabia - Al Tuwairqi to build 2 steel units in Egypt & Bahrain
According to media reports Al Tuwairqi Group has announced that it is planning to implement two projects to produce steel rebars in Egypt & Al Bahrain, apart from other relevant projects planned in Saudi Arabia. The report cites a high ranking executive of the Al Tuwairqi Group as saying that each factory would produce annually about 1 million tonnes of steel rebars. The executive expected no problems in getting the project license from the concerned Egyptian authorities. Earlier, Al Tuwairqi Group failed to acquire Suez Steel Egypt Co, which was offered for sale under the Government Privatization Program. Sources within the Group revealed plans for other projects in Saudi Arabia and the UAE including 1 million tons per year steel rolling project in Sharjah, also another 0.5 million tons per year a non welded steel pipes project at Dammam.
May 2nd  - Projects Suzhou China - First Indian manufacturer settles down in SIP
The first wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indian Murugappa Group, Tubular Precision Products (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. was officially incorporated in Loufeng Township, SIP, at the end of June, with 8.05 million USD registered capital for the initial installment. The company is the first large-scale Indian industrial enterprise in SIP, and the fact marks the formal entry of hi-tech Indian enterprises in SIP. The company said today that the 12,000 tonne per annum (tpa) tube plant being established by the wholly owned Chinese subsidiary Tubular Precision Products Suzhou Limited is expected to start commercial production from July'07.
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April 25th  - Projects New Delhi - Punj Lloyd bags Rs.53 billion order from Oman Gas Company
India's engineering and construction major Punj Lloyd Ltd. has bagged a Rs.53 billion contract from Oman Gas Company (OGC) for constructing a gas pipeline. The project, which involves construction of two sets of pipelines, is scheduled to be completed by October 2008, said a company statement. Punj Lloyd Ltd has also been awarded an INR 180.16 crores contract by Reliance Gas Transportation Infrastructure Ltd to execute a contract for construction of 48" x 122 kilometer of East West Gas Pipeline and associated facilities. The company has so far bagged orders worth Rs.175.68 billion, which are yet to be executed. It has presence in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa and South Asia.
April 21st  - Projects Brisbane Australia - Swanbank site secured for steel mill
A site for a $700 million specialty steel mill at Swanbank Enterprise Park was yesterday secured by Asia Pacific Seamless Tubes Limited (APST) and welcomed by Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale. Investa senior development manager Peter Griffin and Cr Pisasale said 1500 jobs would be created during construction of the facility, permanent jobs and “other downstream jobs in due course”. Mr Griffin said the state-of-the-art steel plant and production was fundamental within the South East Regional Plan and would identify the Western Corridor for population growth as well as jobs. APST exchanged contracts with Investa Property Group for 56 hectares of land within Swanbank Enterprise Park. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Boulder Steel. Cr Pisasale described the project as an “anchor for Swanbank”. “This will help the Australian economy including imports and exports,” he said. “Ipswich will not accept second rate industries anymore – this is world class.” Australia does not produce seamless steel tube and the steel tube mill would generate exports worth $350 million, expanding Australia’s trade in goods and services. Construction of the steel mill will begin in July pending receipt of relevant development approvals with production targeted to start in 2009.
April 11th  - Projects Shanghai. China - Hengyang Steel Tube to set up 2 seamless tube mills
Hengyang Steel Tube Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Hunan Valin Iron and Steel Group and a major seamless tube manufacturer in China, plan to establish two new seamless tube mills in order to boost annual capacity by 400,000 tons, a company official who asked to remain anonymous, told Interfax.
April 4th  - Projects Bombay India - GAIL to lay new gas pipe lines to double capacity in 4 years
India's major gas producer GAIL (India) Limited plans to invest INR 18,000 crore in new pipeline projects across the country in the next few years. The eight pipelines to be laid by GAIL will form part of an integrated national gas grid in the country. Dr UD Choubey CMD of GAIL told media that the new projects would enhance GAIL's gas transportation capacity to 280 million standard cubic meters per day from the current 140 million standard cubic meters per day pushing its revenue from gas transportation to INR 5,800 crore from the current INR 2,000 crore. India~{!/~}s ministry of petroleum & natural gas has approved GAIL's proposal to invite expressions of interest for 5 new natural gas pipelines in the country to be built on common carrier principle under which 33% of the planned capacity would be offered to third parties.
April 3rd  - Projects Calgary Alberta - ILI Technologies receives US$9.5 Million Thermoflex order
ILI Technologies (2002) Corp. announce Monday the receipt of a US$9.5 million (Cdn. $11 million) order for their Thermoflex Tubing and associated connectors and their ESP pump products. This is by far the largest order ever received by ILI and marks the entry into a much larger revenue base for the company. The first delivery under this contract is scheduled in the second quarter of 2007 to a large Mexican corporation. ILI will use the next few months to produce the product necessary to deliver on this initial purchase order as well as to build up inventory of Thermoflex® Tubing for subsequent installments of the contract throughout 2007 and 2008. "This is a significant order for our organization and changes the dynamics of our sales, rentals, and distribution activities," stated Serge Bonnet, President of ILI Technologies. "We will strive to deliver on this contract as quickly as possible while continuing to pursue additional significant orders for Thermoflex® Tubing and CBM Pumps and wire products." While ILI has announced dramatically higher corporate sales with the commencement of sales of Thermoflex® Tubing last summer, the company has only established regular sales channels in Mexico and continues to pursue additional distribution in the US and Canada. Thus the sales potential of Thermoflex® Tubing remains relatively untapped. ILI is also planning the expansion of manufacturing facilities for Thermoflex® Tubing in order to accommodate expected future orders. Thermoflex pipe is a revolutionary new flexible piping system that can be applied in areas where only steel piping could be used in the past. Thermoflex pipe uses a multi-layer design with mixed plastics to achieve far superior performance compared to traditional flexible pipe. Thermoflex pipe is ideally suited for high pressure, high temperature applications especially when paraffins are present. Typical applications include gathering lines, velocity strings and liners. No cathodic protection or coating is required and installation costs are significantly less that steel.
April 3rd  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $5.5 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Monday that it was named as pipe supplier by Balfour Beatty Construction, Inc. of Fairfield, California for an East Bay Municipal Utility District project near Sacramento, California. The Company will supply approximately 7,382 feet of 36-inch through 144-inch diameter steel pipe valued at approximately $5.5 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system to be installed in the Clay Street & Camanche Raw Water Pumping Plants project. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Portland, Oregon or Adelanto, California division, with delivery scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2007.
March 23rd  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $6.5Million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it was named as pipe supplier to J.W. Fowler of Dallas, Oregon for the San Diego County Water Authority. The Company will supply approximately 12,000 feet of 93-inch diameter steel pipe valued at approximately $6.5 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system to be installed in the Relining Paint Mountain Vent to Del Dios Highway Spec 565 project. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Adelanto, California division, with delivery scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2007. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water infrastructure in North America. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
March 20th  - Projects New Dehli India - DP Jindal & Chokhani groups to set up spiral pipe plant in MP
Business Standard reported that DP Jindal Group’s JCO Gas Pipes Ltd and Chokhani group have planned to set up a 5000 tonnes per month spiral submerged arc welded pipe plant at Borgaon industrial area in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh at an investment of INR 53.18 crore. The project will be commissioned in one year. As per reports, the company has demanded a concession of 50% on power tariff, purchase preference for at least 50% of quantities in all state government purchases, an iron ore mine near the site and waiver from all stamp duty and land registration fee for this project. The report cites an official as saying that “The state project implementation and clearance board will consider the sops and concessions in accordance with Industrial Promotion Policy 2004.”
March 17th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK to set up a new large dia pipe mill at Volzhsky
Pipe producers TMK has announced that it has placed an order with Haeusler AG to supply a new facility for the production of large diameter longitudinal welded pipes. The facility will be installed at TMK~{!/~}s subsidiary Volzhsky Pipe Plant in the Volgograd region of Russia. Production is expected to start in third quarter of 2008 The annual production capacity of this mill will exceed 1.3 million tonnes of pipes per year the company said. The facility will utilize leading edge roll bending technology. The specification for the equipment calls for the machinery to produce longitudinal welded pipes with diameters of between 530mm and 1420mm in wall thickness of up to 42mm in grades of up to API 5L X100. Mr Konstantin Semerikov CEO of TMK said that ~{!0~}The market for large diameter pipes in Russia and its neighboring countries is buoyant. The facility will allow TMK to sustain its position as the leader of Russian pipe industry in this segment and to provide for Gazprom and Transneft~{!/~}s increasing demand for large diameter pipes for their long distance oil and gas pipelines in Russia and the CIS.~{!1~}
March 15th  - Projects Houston Texas - Fiberspar expands line pipe product line
Fiberspar LinePipe LLC today introduced new, large-diameter versions of its popular spoolable composite pipe product. Fiberspar's 750 Series LinePipe(TM) is now available in 5- and 6-inch nominal diameters, while the 1,500 Series LinePipe is offered in 5-inch nominal, with the option of a highly durable jacket for rough terrain. The larger diameters allow operators to use LinePipe for main trunk line applications as well as for smaller flow lines, according to Peter Quigley, president and chief executive officer of Fiberspar LinePipe LLC. "Our customers have long expressed a desire to use LinePipe in more applications throughout their gathering and transmission systems. The new, large-diameter sizes answer that need," Quigley said.
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March 14th  - Projects Mobile Alabama - Pipe company picks Mobile for $75 million plant
Berg Steel Pipe Corp. has chosen Mobile as the site for a new $75 million steel pipe manufacturing facility that will employ about 100 people, Berg and Alabama officials announced Friday. The plant, which will fabricate large-diameter pipe used in oil and gas exploration, will be built on 86 acres at the former International Paper site in north Mobile, which is currently owned by the Alabama State Port Authority. Berg expects to close on the land by late April and break ground in May or June, said Dave Delie, Berg's president and chief executive officer. He expects the plant to be operational in the second half of 2008. The Port Authority laid the groundwork to sell the site to Panama City, Fla.-based Berg at its Feb. 27 board meeting when the board accepted Director Jimmy Lyons' proposal to sell the property for $34,000 an acre, or $2.9 million. "I've known Berg for nearly 25 years and I've worked with Berg for the past five years to bring this ... to reality in our community," Lyons said, calling Berg "a fine company led by fine people." Part of the German Europipe family of pipe mills, Berg Pipe opened in 1980 and employs more than 230 people at its Florida facility, where pipe is fabricated and coated. The Mobile facility will include an approximately 180,000-square-foot pipe fabrication building and a pipe coating building that will be between 60,000 square feet and 70,000 square feet, Delie said.
February 21st  - Projects Sverdlovsk Oblast CIS - Russian tubemaker, OAO Severskij Tube expands steel making capacity
A Russian tubemaker, OAO Severskij Tube, a subsidiary of chose SMS Demag to supply a 1-million metric tons/year EAF melt shop, at Polevskoy. SMS will install a 135-metric ton, ARCCESS furnace, scrap yard equipment, a dedusting plant, additives supply system, lime and filter-dust injection equipment, and Levels 1 and 2 process controls. Commissioning is set for late this year. SMS previously supplied a ladle furnace and bloom caster at the same site. Trubnaya Metallurgicheskaya Komp. OAO is a Russian manufacturer and exporter of pipe products. It has production facilities located in Russia and Romania, which unite four enterprises in the Russian pipe industry: Volzhsky Pipe Plant, Seversky Tube Works, Sinarsky Pipe Plant, Taganrog Metallurgical Works, as well as the Romanian enterprises: TMK-ARTROM Pipe Factory and TMK-Resita Metallurgical Combine. The Company offers pipes, which are used in the oil-and-gas industry, the chemical and petrochemical industries, the energy and machine-building industries, construction and the municipal housing economy, shipbuilding, aviation, space and rocket equipment, and agriculture. The Company supplies products to more than 60 countries; its main export markets are Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, South and South-East Asia, and the CIS. It is headquartered in Moscow, Russian Federation.
February 21st  - Projects Regina Saskatchewan - Ipsco Inc.'s Regina, SK, mini-mill upgrades coil-preparation line for spiral tubemill.
Herr-Voss Stamco has a contract to build a coil-preparation line for Ipsco Inc.'s Regina, SK, mini-mill, where it will process feedstock for the spiral welded pipe and 24-in. ERW mill. The $27.5-million project, which Ipsco ordered in 2006, involves entry and exit coil handling equipment, the unwind unit, pinch roll/flattener, side guides, tension stand, and the rewind unit. Ipsco said last year it expects the new prepping area and equipment modifications to improve yield and productivity, and to increase capacity for its pipe mills by over 25% to more than 375,000 tons/year. HerrVoss Stamco explains that the coil-prep line is designed to process hot-rolled coils weighing up to 96,000 lb., up to 80 in. wide. Material thicknesses will range from 0.250 to 0.750 in., at material yields ranging from 40,000 through 100,000 PSI. The line will be capable of running at up to 150 fpm.
January 29th  - Projects Krefeldt Germany - Schulz seamless steel tube project to stay in Brazil
German steel products maker Schulz has decided to go ahead with plans to build a seamless stainless steel tube plant in Brazil, according to Schulz VP for South America Marcelo Bueno. Schulz considered transferring the project to another country due to bureaucracy issues, as previously reported. (see also tubenews July 12, July 14 and September 15) The plant will focus on market niches in which large international players are not offering products. Construction could start in the second half of this year with civil works and equipment setup, Bueno said, adding the plant's capacity is still under study. The plant, to be installed in Rio de Janeiro state's Campos city, will require investment of around 30mn-35mn euros (up to US$45.3mn), of which Schulz plans to seek financing for 60-70%, involving international lines of credit. Schulz's other projects in Rio de Janeiro include a 600,000 parts/y stainless steel connectors plant and special alloys unit, in addition to a 6,000t/y welded stainless steel tube plant.
January 29th  - Projects Essen Germany - Malaysian Ornasteel increasing annealing capacity
LOI Thermprocess GmbH, Essen, is adding 3 further HPH annealing bases, 2 heating hoods and 2 cooling hoods to the existing bell type annealing plant of Ornasteel Enterprise in Malaysia. The Ornasteel plant is used for annealing cold rolled steel strip with coil diameters up to 1850 mm, stack weights of 95 tonne per base and a stack height of 5300 mm in a hydrogen atmosphere. Ornasteel Enterprise Corp. is one of the largest steel producers in Malaysia and mainly produces steel pipes, cold rolled steel strip and galvanized semi finished products at its Melaka plant.
January 29th  - Projects Regina Saskatchewan - IPSCO to increase heat treated OCTG capacity at Blytheville
IPSCO announced to add a new USD 40 million plant in its Blytheville pipe mill in Arkansas to produce heat treated oil country tubular goods. The new facility will produce heat-treated OCTG in 2 3/8 inches through 5 ½ inches diameters. Commercial production is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2007. IPSCO said that combined with the company's four existing plants in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Canada and another planned in Texas, overall heat treated OCTG production will increase by 100,000 tons to 575,000 tons annually. Mr Joseph Russo senior VP of IPSCO said "We believe this expansion will enhance our competitive position in the United States and better serve our customers through expanded product offerings."
January 22nd  - Projects Vestal New York - National Pipe & Plastics manufacturing to expand plant
National Pipe & Plastics Inc. said it is in the process of a $3 million expansion and facility improvement project to increase production capacity and operational efficiencies as well as cut energy costs. Part of the effort includes the recent addition of new equipment to improve infrastructure, lighting and ventilation at its Vestal manufacturing operation, the company said. National Pipe also is converting some room in its warehouse, next to its main building, to manufacture a new product called foam core polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, pipe. A $150,000 economic development grant from New York State Electric & Gas Corp. helped fund the initiative, National Pipe said. Production capacity is expected to improve 15 percent this year, National Pipe Vice President Chuck Miller said. The $3 million project will be completed by the middle of this year, he said. National Pipe employs more than 160 people in Vestal. "As we add the new product lines, we're going to be adding more people," said Miller, who did not specify how many jobs would be created. "We'll be more competitive in our markets because of the increased efficiencies." The Vestal business has been manufacturing PVC pipe for residential, agricultural, commercial, municipal and export markets since 1970.
January 22nd  - Projects Prag Czech Republic - Vitkovice Valcovna Trub expands seamless capacity
Czech seamless tube producer Vitkovice Valcovna Trub has announced plans to invest CZK 700million (€25million) on refurbishing its main production line over the next three years to improve surface quality and extend production range. Overall output will be increased from 105,000 tonnes/year to 123,000 tonnes/year. The upgrades will be completed by July 2008, and will include a shutdown period in April and May 2008. The Mannesmann mill has a capacity of 57,000 t/y, to be increased to 75,000 t/y. It produces tubes in diameters of 168-406mm. A second, smaller mill has a capacity of 48,000 t/y and produces diameters of 60-168mm. Large-diameter pipe represents the biggest portion of the company’s sales, which reached CZK 2.4bn in 2005. Sales should reach CZK 3bn following the upgrades, the company says. The extra production is destined for the domestic market and most of the EU, as well as North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Some 70% of sales are outside the Czech Republic, with around 80% of total production remaining within the EU. Most of the company’s sales go to traders and stockists, who are largely based in the EU, a company spokeswoman tells Steel Business Briefing. Vitkovice Valcovna Trub is 100% owned by the steel producer Trinecke Zelezarny, itself a part of the Moravia Steel group.
December 14th  - Projects New Delhi India - Bihar Tubes to set up steel unit at Sikandarabad in Uttar Pradesh
Bihar Tubes Limited has acquired a site for a new steel plant in the City of Sikandarabad. The steel strip plant will have an output of 300000 tonne per annum. The project is scheduled to commence work in May 2007. According to Mr. Vinay Gupta the company is in the process of finalizing negotiations with machinery suppliers. Incorporated in 1986 Bihar Tubes, is a leading manufacturer and exporter of Steel Pipes & Tubes, Aluminized Steel Tubes, Black Steel Tubes, Hot Dipped & Pre Galvanized Steel Tubes, Fence Tubes, Structural Steel.
December 12th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $ 7 Million pipe order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Monday that it was named as pipe supplier to J.F. Shea Construction of Walnut, California for a water treatment plant in Orange County, California. The Company will supply approximately 5,000 feet of 24-inch through 120-inch diameter steel pipe valued at approximately $7 million for an engineered and custom fabricated piping system to be installed in Orange County Sanitation District's Treatment Plant No. 2. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Adelanto, California division, with delivery scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2007.
December 12th  - Projects Dongying, China - Chinese firm installs Thermatool pipe mill
Faray Petroleum Steel Pipe Co. Ltd., Dongying, China has installed a Thermatool API pipe mill equipped with a CFI 1000 induction welding unit which achieves welds at a frequency of 230 kHz. Three VIP 500-kW, 1-kHz annealing units also are included. The annealing units are equipped with a seam tracking option which follows automatically any wandering of the weld seam to help ensure the pipe always is fully annealed.The mill also includes an F FX forming section, weld box, and cold saw provided by Nakata Mfg. Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan. It produces up to 13-in.-dia. by 0.479-in.-wall thickness API and structural pipes.
December 11th  - Projects Jiangsu China - ERW Pipe mill to be built in China to target North American Markets
Taiwanese-invested, Jiangsu Jiabao Pipe Making Co has applied for a license to set up a 1m tonne/year ERW pipe plant in eastern China's Jiangsu Province. Some 80% of its total production is to be targeted at overseas markets, including America, Canada and the Middle East. Two phases of construction are planned. The first is scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2007, with a capacity of 300,000 t/y. The second phase - with a capacity of 700,000 t/y - is scheduled to start in early 2008 and be commissioned by the end of 2009. The product range will include oil drill pipes, casing pipes, line pipes and boiler pipes with diameters ranging from 60mm-660mm.
December 9th  - Projects Houston Texas - Texas energy firms in Louisiana pipeline joint-venture
A proposed pipeline expansion in a joint-venture project between key Houston energy industry players is expected to shore up natural gas supply routes to serve fast-growing eastern U.S. markets. The agreement provides for Southern Natural Gas (SNG), a unit of El Paso Corp. to jointly own a portion of the 270-mile pipeline. The pipeline will bring gas from the Perryville Hub in northern Louisiana to interconnecting pipelines serving the eastern U.S. and terminate at the Gulfstream Natural Gas System near southern Mobile County, Ala. The pipeline is expected to be in service in the summer of 2008. The Southeast Supply Header (SESH) project and El Paso's SNG have signed an agreement that provides for SNG to jointly own the first 115-mile portion of the pipeline. SESH is a joint venture between subsidiaries of CenterPoint Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Gas Transmission, a unit of Duke Energy Corp. Under the agreement, the project's pipe diameter will increase from 36 inches to 42 inches, increasing the initial planned capacity of 1 billion cubic feet per day by 140 million cubic feet per day. The agreement provides for future compression expansion to increase the capacity up to 1.5 bcf per day, subject to market developments and regulatory approval. Houston-based Duke Energy Gas Transmission transports and stores natural gas. The company's assets include about 17,500 miles of transmission pipeline and 250 billion cubic feet of storage capacity in the U.S. and Canada.
December 7th  - Projects Maputo Mozambique - Mozambique-S.Africa diesel pipeline due by 2009
A $537 million gasoline and diesel pipeline linking Mozambique's Matola oil refinery to Nelspruit in South Africa is expected to be complete by 2009, a top Mozambique oil official said on Tuesday. The license to construct and run the pipeline, for an initial period of 25 years renewable to 50 years, was awarded last week to a consortium called Petroline Holdings, said Casimiro Francisco, a member of the adiminstrative board of Mozambique´s Petroleum company, PETROMOC. The project, spanning 400 km (240 miles) from Matola to Nelspruit, north east of Johannesburg, could be extended in a second phase to South Africa´s emerging industrial city of Witbank, halfway from Johannesburg to Nelspruit.
December 6th  - Projects Abu Dhabi UAE - Dolphin Energy lands 400 km pipeline contract
A senior industry official said that Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is planning to set up a major expansion of its natural gas production, Gulf News reported. Chief Executive Officer of Dolphin Energy, a UAE enterprise formed in 1999, said that his company will build a 400 km pipeline to bring natural gas from Qatar to the UAE and Oman. He said there are ongoing negotiations with Qatar to increase the amount of gas for the Dolphin project from 2 billion cubic feet to 3.2 billion. The project will start pumping natural gas by the summer of 2007. It is worth mentioning that the UAE, which ranks fifth in terms of global natural gas reserves, is seeking to explore the most cost-effective method to increase its natural gas production.
December 5th  - Projects Mumbai India - Nissan Copper's Silvassa plant slated for expansion
Mr. Ratanlal Mardia Managing Director of Nissan Copper Pvt. Ltd. said in an interview with India's infoline that growing industrialization and strong infrastructure investment scenario have resulted in increasing demand for copper products. NCL is an established player in the copper products segment which includes copper pipes, tubes, ingots, coils, wire bars, etc. Robust growth in industrial and infrastructure investments, leads to a demand push for copper products. Overall due to strong future of the user segments the outlook of copper products also looks positive. "We are planning to develop our products in Refinery, Petrochemical and Power sector. Mardia said. Post expansion we will manufacture copper tubes of bigger dimension, which are used in Petrochemical industries and Oil Refineries. There is tremendous requirement of copper tubes in these fields, he said. The proposed expansion would aid to help improve average order size and gain entry into export markets. Mr. Mardia said NCL is planning a major expansion, which not only includes capacity additions but also production of value-added products which will help enhance the client list and open up exports markets. There is an imbalance as demand outstrips supply. Total copper tube requirement for the use of air conditioning, refrigeration, heat exchanger, plumbing, heating for electrical connectors, geysers, railways, defense and other industries in India is in excess of 35,000 tpa, while manufacturing capacity (both organized & unorganized sectors) is approx. 10,000 tpa only, Mardia said.
December 4th  - Projects Dammam, Saudi Arabia - Amiantit Wins $7 Million Composites Pipe And Pumps Contract
Amiantit Group companies have received two contract awards in Turkmenistan totaling more than US $ 7 million. Issued by the state concern Turkmen Oil and Gas Construction, both orders are the result of successful tender bids and are for different parts of the same project, which is the construction of a new sewage network in the East Turkmenistan city of Turkmenabat. The biggest of the contract awards is worth US $ 6 million and was signed by the Amiantit Caspian Branch on behalf of Amiantit Fiberglass Industries (AFIL). The order is for 31 kilometers of glass reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes and fittings which will be supplied by two Amiantit joint venture companies: SUBOR in Turkey and the Goa-based Amiantit Fiberglass Industries India Pvt. Ltd. (AFIIL). Amiantit Caspian Branch has been operating in Turkmenistan for more than five years, during which time it has supplied more than 600 kilometers of GRP pipes together with fittings and has become established as the country's leading provider of GRP products. The second contract award, worth US $ 1,163,767.10, is for the supply and installation of 11 'FLYGT' submersible pumps, including the control system, for three sewage pump stations. The Amiantit Group, headed by its Dammam-based parent the Saudi Arabian Amiantit Company Limited, is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of pipes and accessories which are produced at 34 manufacturing facilities around the globe and marketed by a trading organization consisting of sales offices or representatives in more than 45 countries. In addition to manufacturing pipe systems for a wide variety of applications, Amiantit undertakes turnkey projects for entire water infrastructure installations such as pipeline networks, aqueducts and pumping stations, and is currently operating projects in Eastern Europe, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Africa, India, Indonesia and Thailand.
December 2nd  - Projects New Delhi India - PSL to supply line pipes for BINA refinery
PSL Limited (PSL), the largest manufacturer of high-grade large diameter Helical Submerged Arc Welded (HSAW) pipes in India, said Thursday that the company had received an order worth Rs. 308 crore inclusive of excise and tax from Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd for supply of 599.6 Kms of pipe for its prestigious Vadinar Bina Pipeline Project. The order requires the complete quantity of pipe to be supplied within a specific time frame and to a tightly monitored schedule. This is designed to meet the construction program of the project. With Bharat Oman Refineries current order in hand, PSL has virtually established itself as a major oil and gas pipe producer in the Indian market, edging out competitors in three successive domestic mega pipeline projects. PSL's Two Step Spiral Pipe producing mill with a world scale capacity of 350,000 tons per annum, coupled with its earlier established mills, gives it a cumulative annual capacity of over a million tons of Spiral Pipe. This along with its proven track record of successful and timely completion of projects proved to be strong factors that assisted the Company secure this mega project. Since established capacity and capability are prime requirements for pre-qualifying for these global tenders.
November 30th  - Projects Kiev Ukraine - Ukraine and EU plan a new gas pipeline from Central Asia
As per reports in Ukrainian Forum citing Mr Mykhailo Honchar VP of of the Strategy 1 foundation & former deputy chairman of UkrTransNafta, Ukraine and the European Union are planning to construct a new gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Ukraine on the Black Sea floor. The pipeline is supposed to run along the Shahdeniz - Baku - Supsa route relying on the infrastructure of the existing Baku - Tbilisi - Erzurum pipeline. In the vicinity of Supsa the branch will turn toward the Black Sea and will run to Feodosiya on the sea floor and then to Ukrainian mainline gas pipelines via Crimea. The minimal cost of the first stage of 700 kilometers on the sea floor is $2 billion. As per reports, the project is being elaborated by the Georgia - Ukraine – EU (GUEU) consortium which consists of consulting and engineering companies.
November 24th  - Projects New Delhi - Pakistan and India debate gas pipeline project
New Delhi has hosted a regional press conference to support a project to build a gas pipeline between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI). Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar, during the final press-conference, urged Islamabad to provide transport transit through the territory of Pakistan to India to his country. "We hope that Pakistan will open its territory for an international pipeline to India as soon as possible, so that we can strengthen cooperation in the region and implement recommendations of the conference," he said. As the minister said, it would allow Afghanistan to realize its potential as an "energy bridge between Central and Southeast Asia". Officials from 18 countries came to the two-day forum in the capital of India, including Russia, and about 10 international organizations. The 1,420 mm in diameter pipes will transport gas at a working pressure of 100 atmospheres. It will have a capacity of 33 billion cu m of natural gas per year and the 1,680 km pipeline will cost an estimated US$3.3 bln (2.5 bln euro). TAPI will run from the Dovetabat gas deposit in Turkmenistan to the Indian town of Fazilka, near the border between Pakistan and India.
November 16th  - Projects Mumbai India - Welspun Gujarat gets 4.60 billion rupees order
Steel pipe maker Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohren Ltd. said on Wednesday it had secured an offshore pipeline order worth 4.60 billion rupees. A stock exchange notice earlier said the company had secured orders, but Welspun Gujarat said in a statement that it was a single order. Its order book stands at about 25 billion rupees, the company said in a statement.
November 14th  - Projects Sandviken Sweden - Sandvik to supply SS pipe to weatherford
Sandvik has won a multi million pound contract to supply stainless steel pipe for expandable sand screen to Weatherford Completion and Production Systems in Aberdeen. Weatherford offers Completion and Production Systems for oil and natural gas fields. The contract is for a five-year period. During this period Sandvik will maintain stocks at its Halesowen warehousing facility in the West Midlands, in order to supply pipe on a call-off basis to meet Weatherford's production schedules. Pipe for the contract is being supplied in austenitic stainless steel grade AISI 316L in double random lengths and coupling material is supplied in super duplex grade Sandvik SAF2507.
November 14th  - Projects Calcutta India - Rashtriya Ispat joins special economic zone SEZ rush
Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), popularly known as Vizag Steel Plant, has sought land from the Andhra Pradesh government for a special economic zone (SEZ). Y. Siva Sagar Rao, chairman and managing director of RINL, said the company wants 2,500 acres for the SEZ. “We want to develop this zone for the downstream steel industry with a focus on automobile and forging,” Rao added. After the state government gives its consent for the land, the management will seek board approval for the plan. RINL is increasing its capacity to 6.3 million tonnes (mt) per annum from 3 mt per annum. The project has been approved by all government authorities. In the first phase of three years, RINL would expand hot metal production facility, steel making facility, sinter plant, wire rod and seamless tube mill. In the second phase, a special bar mill and a structural mill would be added.The total project cost is about Rs 9,000 crore.
November 13th  - Projects Luxembourg - Tenaris to spend $50Million to $70Million on Maverick operations soon
Luxembourg-based steel tube manufacturer Tenaris SA plans to spend between $50 million (€39.1 million) and $70 million (€54.7 million) in the "near future" on Chesterfield, Missouri-based Maverick Tube Corp., which Tenaris bought in October for $2.4 billion (€1.88 billion), company executives said Thursday. Tenaris manufactures pipes for oil exploration projects and has lately been focusing on improving its product mix to include more higher-end tubes that are used in sophisticated projects. The Maverick acquisition gives Tenaris an important foothold in the United States, where the company's share of the premium connections market falls below its 20 percent global market share. Tenaris' director of investor relations, Nigel Worsnop, said during a conference call to discuss third-quarter earnings that the global premium connections market is about 2 million metric tons per year. The United States accounts for roughly 550,000 tons of that amount, meaning Tenaris' access to the U.S. market is crucial. Worsnop said the $50 million (€39.1 million) to $70 million (€54.7 million) slated for Maverick operations could increase. "This is the first step," Worsnop said. "As we said before, we have just taken (Maverick) over, and maybe in the future we can increase (spending) ... I would say that maybe in the long term, we should be investing more than this." Tenaris, which is owned by Argentine conglomerate Techint, posted third-quarter net profit of $510 million (€398.56 million), up 45 percent from a year earlier. The company will begin consolidating Maverick's accounts into its earnings starting in the fourth quarter
November 11th  - Projects Mumbai India - India welcomes Russian interest in Iran gas pipe
India's oil minister welcomed Russia's interest in a proposed $7 billion scheme to pipe Iranian natural gas to South Asia, as it would improve security, but analysts doubted the merits of Moscow's involvement. "We believe that Russia's participation is important for the safety and security of the pipeline," Oil Minister Murli Deora told reporters on Friday. The plan to bring gas from Iran across Pakistan to India has been discussed for more than a decade but hostility between Islamabad and New Delhi and fears of attacks on the pipeline have delayed the project. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in the past Moscow was interested in the project and news agencies quoted him in June as saying gas monopoly Gazprom was ready to help implement and finance the pipeline. That would be the case "especially as a project like this can pay for itself", Putin was quoted as saying. Deora said his Pakistani counterpart also welcomed the possibility of a Russian role, and he hoped Iran would also support it.
November 9th  - Projects Sydney Australia - Environmental impact study on US$450m Boulder Steel Ipswich mill lodged
Boulder Steel’s plan to build a US$450 million steel mill and seamless tube mill at Swanbank near Ipswich has passed an important milestone, with the environmental assessment report (EAR) lodged with Ipswich City Council, the relevant assessment authority. The project is being undertaken through subsidiary Asia Pacific Seamless Tubes (APST), chaired by former Member for Ipswich and Queensland Treasurer, Dr David Hamill. APST has been formed as a special purpose project company for the construction and operation of the mill, which is designed to recycle scrap metal and which has the capacity to produce up to 400,000 tonnes of seamless steel tubing a year. Managing director Dr Darryl Smith says lodgement of the report marks the culmination of more than three years’ hard work to get the environmental and economic settings right for the mill, which will provide Ipswich and the Ripley Valley region with a massive boost in terms of investment, jobs and infrastructure. "This project will create the equivalent of 700 full-time jobs during construction and approximately 750 permanent jobs, plus hundreds of other downstream jobs in due course," he says. "Currently, Australia does not produce any seamless steel tube.
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November 7th  - Projects Kuala Lumpur Malaysia - Boost for local steel pipe makers from RM 2billion allocation
Local steel pipe makers will get a huge boost from the government’s RM2 billion allocation to replace old pipes under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) out of the RM16.5 billion for the water sector, OSK Investment Research (OSK Research) said. In a research note on Nov 6, it projected an allocation of RM200 million in calendar year (CY) 2006, RM400 million next year and CY08 and RM500 million for CY09 and CY10. “On a whole, we are positive on the news with priority to be given to replacing existing pipes in particular the hazardous asbestos cement (AC) pipes. States which encounter major non-revenue water (NRW) problems are those with a higher level of old AC pipes,” it said. Total AC pipe networks in the country is 45,746 km and from its assumptions, the RM2 billion can only cater for about 5,000km to 6,000km of pipes, “hence huge opportunity for the massive replacement post-9MP”. However, it remained cautious despite the positive news until the actual disbursement by the government, as market had been disappointed with protracted water projects in the past few years. It also said its preliminary survey with the pipe laying players within the Klang Valley confirmed that the government and concessionaires presently favor ductile iron (DI) pipe from the others given its durability despite a slight premium to its pricing, it said. It said DI pipe player YLI Holdings Bhd had a good chance to benefit from the massive pipe replacement projects. Another DI pipe maker Engtex Group Bhd might also benefit. “Whilst DI pipe may be preferred over the others, it is not suitable for all applications. Based on YLI's current turnover of about RM100 million, the company is running at about rated capacity, thus OSK Research thinks its chances to monopolise the water pipe market to be limited. Mild steel (MS) pipe maker Megasteel Sdn Bhd would lobby for the usage of MS steel pipes, OSK Research said. Hiap Teck Ventures Bhd and Choo Bee Metal Industries Bhd should also benefit from their newly commenced big diametre pipe plant of up to 18 inches and 16 inches in diametre respectively, it added.
November 3rd  - Projects Chennai India - PSL to supply spiral pipes for water line in Oman
PSL Ltd has announced that it has bagged a contract for supply of pre coated API 5L GrB PSL 2 spiral welded pipes valuing over $ 20 million for meting the requirements of Oman’s ministry of Housing, Electricity and water. The supplies are to be made within 4 months time. The release said that the contract is related to a major water pipe line projects connecting different cities of Oman with cross country trunk water pipe line projects.
November 3rd  - Projects Hibbing Minnesota - Hibbing chosen for Iracore new pipe coating plant location
Hibbing has been chosen as the site for a state-of-the-art Iracore pipe coating plant. Iracore International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial Rubber Products, made the announcement Wednesday. Production of the plant is expected to be completed this month to facilitate the Canadian Oil Sands Industries growing tailings and hydro-transportation pipe requirements, according to a press release from Industrial Rubber. Iracore anticipates the employment of 20 to 40 full-time people from the area. The plant, which will be located in the former Noble Industries building on 13th Avenue, will produce seven 50-foot patent pending pipes each day using steel pipe and elastomers which are manufactured in the United States, according to the release. Daniel O. Burkes, CEO of Industrial Rubber Inc., thanked the individuals and organizations that helped make the location of the plant in Hibbing possible.
November 1st  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $5 Million pipe order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that they are the apparent low bidder to supply pipe to the Greater Vancouver Regional District for the Boundary Road Main No. 5, North, Phase 2 project in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. The Company will supply approximately 10,000 feet of 72-inch diameter steel pipe valued at approximately $5 million. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Portland, Oregon division, with delivery scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2007.
October 30th  - Projects Shanghai China - Ningbo Baoxin starts construction of SS tube mill
Ningbo Baoxin Stainless Steel has started its new stainless steel welded pipe plant construction. Invested by RMB 218 million ($27.5 million), this phase of the project will contribute 50,000 tons of stainless strip steel and 10,000 tons of auto vent pipe every year after its operation in end 2007. Next phase will enjoy another investment of RMB 250 million and can raise annual stainless strip steel capacity by 50,000 tons and industrial pipe capacity by 20,000 tons. Currently Ningbo Baoxin Stainless can produce 600,000 tons of CR stainless steel every year.
October 28th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Chelyabinsk Pipe commissions anticorrosion coating line
It is reported that Chelyabinsk Pipe Plant now has commissioned the second line for application of outside 3 layer polyethylene anti corrosion coating to pipes. The line is to reach its full capacity in November. With this line the coating capacity of Chelyabinsk Pipe Plant will almost double to 0.6 million tonnes per annum. In June it was reported in the Metal Supplies and Marketing magazine that Chelyabinsk Pipe-Rolling Plant were Upgrading facilities to qualify for the VSTO project. The specific right-of-way of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Pipeline has “higher requirements regarding the operational reliability of the pipeline”,S. Chikalov, Director in charge of investments and technical policy of the Chelyabinsk Pipe-Rolling Plant, explained. Prior to beginning of the construction, Transneft came up with certain requirements regarding the quality of the pipes. Therefore, enterprises that are interested in the VSTO project had to go through major retrofitting and upgrading of their production facilities. In order to comply with the requirements, the Chelyabinsk plant completed the first phase of the renovation program in 2005, which included a whole set of work to upgrade the large-diameter-pipe production. In addition to that, a new mechanical SMS Meer expander was installed at the enterprise. In order to receive high impact viscosity of the welded seam, the plant introduced pipe welding procedure using ceramic flux. The Chelyabinsk plant continues its upgrading. The large-diameter pipes’ rustproof coating just commissioned will allow the company to make pipes with three-layer external rustproof coating with 530 mm – 1,220 mm diameter, wall thickness of 7 mm – 22 mm, and 10 m – 12 m long.
October 28th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe to supply pipes for East Fork Raw Water Supply Pipeline
Northwest Pipe Company has secured a $15 million order to supply about 43,000 feet of 84 inch diameter steel pipe to Bar Constructors of Lancaster in Texas for the East Fork Raw Water Supply Pipeline. Delivery under the contract is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2007. The pipes would be manufactured at Saginaw in Texas and Parkersburg in West Virginia facilities of Northwest Pipes. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments Water Transmission, Tubular Products Group and Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products.
October 25th  - Projects Oslo Norway - Aker Kvaerner wins 130 million nkr umbilical contract from Rashid Petroleum Company
Rashid Petroleum Company (Rashpetco) has awarded Aker Kvaerner a contract to supply five umbilicals to the Rosetta Phase 3 gas development in the Rosetta Concession, offshore Nile Delta in Egypt. The contract is valued at NOK 130 million. Work has already started on the steel tube umbilicals totalling approximately 43 kilometres in length to be manufactured at Aker Kvaerner Subsea's facility in Moss, Norway. Delivery of the umbilicals is scheduled for the third quarter of 2007. "This contract builds on our growing activity in the region and our position as the market leader in subsea steel tube umbilicals," says Raymond Carlsen, EVP Aker Kvaerner Subsea.
October 25th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company lands $15 million contract
Northwest Pipe Company reported Tuesday that it was named as pipe supplier to Bar Constructors of Lancaster, Texas to supply approximately 43,000 feet of 84-inch diameter steel pipe, valued at approximately $15 million. The pipe is for the East Fork Raw Water Supply Pipeline, a project of the North Texas Municipal Water District. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Saginaw, Texas and Parkersburg, West Virginia divisions with delivery scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2007.
October 24th  - Projects Beijing China - China intends to set up 4 coastal steel bases
The swelling steel export has covered up the possible problems caused by blistering growth of steel capacity. The first priority of China's steel industrial consolidation is to set up four super steel bases in coastal regions in 11th five-year period, cited by experts attending the recent 2007 China Steel Industrial Chain Development Forum. Domestic steel industry has already been burdened with excess supply. If China continues to rest heavily on overseas market for swallowing the huge capacity additions, it may render great risk for the steel sector once the foreign demand growth slows down, warned by Li Lianzhong, director of Ecomomy Bureau under Policy Research Centre of the CPC Central Committee.
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October 24th  - Projects Düsseldorf Germany - ThyssenKrupp orders 3 new coilers for HSM
ThyssenKrupp Steel of Germany has placed an order with SMS Demag for the supply of three new coiler units for the hot strip mill in Beeckerwerth taking the total orders to two during 2006. Commissioning of the first coiler unit has been scheduled for December 2007. The scope of supply includes three shiftable coilers, including all pertaining mechanical equipment, utility systems as well as the entire electrical and automation systems. The fully hydraulic three-roll coilers are designed for tube grades up to a thickness of 25.4 mm. This modernization is a systematic continuation of ThyssenKrupp Steel's strategy to ensure that the Beeckerwerth hot strip mill is always state of the art, with the aim of meeting the continuously growing customer requirements on the market for high strength tube grades.
October 17th  - Projects Tokyo Japan - JFE Steel and Metal One to supply ERW line pipe for DBNGP in Australia
JFE Steel Corporation and Metal One Corporation have been appointed as the sole suppliers of line pipe for the Dampier to Bunbury Pipeline Expansion Project (DBNGP) Stage 5A Expansion Project. The two companies will supply approximately 82,000MT of 26" OD API 5L X-70 Line Pipe to DBNGP (WA) Nominees Pty Ltd. in Western Australia from October-November 2006. The DBNGP, one of Australia's most significant infrastructure projects, is a 1600km pipeline transferring natural gas from Dampier in the northwestern part of Western Australia to Bunbury in the southwestern part of the state. Growing demand for gas in the southwest part of Western Australia has made significant expansion of the DBNGP necessary. The Stage 5A expansion includes more than 570km of pipeline looping at a total construction cost of approximately AUD 700 million. In 2005, JFE Steel and Metal One supplied 30,000MT (217km) of line pipe to the DBNGP's current expansion project (Stage 4), which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2006. Once the Stage 5A expansion has been completed, JFE and Metal One will have supplied over 112,000MT of line pipe to the expansion projects.
October 16th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe company announces yet another California order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Friday that it was named as the pipe supplier for the BMP Construction Program - Coastal Distribution System to supply approximately $5 million of welded steel pipe and pipe fittings for the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency in Watsonville, California. Northwest Pipe has received a verbal commitment from Mountain Cascade of Pleasanton, California to supply approximately 42,000 feet of three through 36-inch diameter steel pipe and pipe fittings. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Adelanto, California division with delivery scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2007. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in North America. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
October 13th  - Projects Houston Texas - Oceaneering announces Mariner Energy Bass Lite umbilical contract
Oceaneering International, Inc. announced Thursday that it had secured a contract with an approximate value of $30 million from Mariner Energy, Inc. to supply umbilicals and the related connection hardware for the Bass Lite field development in the Gulf of Mexico. The order is for steel tube umbilicals totaling over 55 miles in length with hydraulic lines rated for 10,000 psi, as well as electrical and armored fiber optic lines. Umbilical manufacturing is planned to take place at the Oceaneering Multiflex facility in Panama City, Florida.
October 12th  - Projects New Delhi India - Bihar Tubes unveils expansion plans
India's Business Line has reported that UP based Bihar Tubes plans to set up a 0.4 million tonne steel strip mill in its existing tubes complex at an investment proposal of Rs 100 crore. Mr Sanjay Gupta MD of Bihar Alloys told Business Line that the unit is likely to be finalized by early next year when Bihar Tubes also expects its current capacity expansion and products diversification program to be in place. Mr Gupta said the company was planning to set up another unit in Maharashtra with an investment of Rs 10 crore and that it is also doubling the capacity in its Sikanderabad unit to 0.1 million tonne per annum for manufacturing galvanized pipes and hollow sections. As per reports, Bihar Tubes is also planning to launch stainless steel pipes manufactured by high frequency induction welding process.
October 11th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $22 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported Tuesday that it has been selected to furnish approximately $22 million of large diameter pipe for the Rio Colorado project in Baja California, Mexico. Northwest Pipe will supply approximately 27 miles of 54 and 60 inch diameter steel pipe to Administradora de Obras Y Concesiones, a Mexican corporation. This pipe will be primarily manufactured at Northwest Pipe's Adelanto, California plant with some components produced at the Company's Monterrey, Mexico facility. The pipe will be delivered during the first three quarters of 2007. Management believes this order represents a milestone in serving the Mexican market. Further, the Company expects Mexico to be an important and growing market in the foreseeable future.
October 11th  - Projects Mumbai India - Man Industries India Ltd wins US$131.7 million in orders.
Man Industries India Ltd, a manufacturer of saw pipes on Monday said it has secured orders worth Rs 6 billion (US$131.66 million) from US-based and Nigerian companies to build a high pressure cross country gas transmission pipeline. The fresh orders from the US are significant, given the potentially large market for pipes in the country and the company has also made bids for large tenders in the US and Latin America, Man Industries informed the Bombay Stock Exchange. "It is highly encouraging to expand our market across the globe and the orders from countries like USA and Nigeria have established our proven track record for delivering quality products around the world. It's our privilege to associate with international conglomerates to share our expertise and to maintain our leadership position in the pipeline industry," Man Industries Chairman R C Mansukhani said. " The identification of new markets like USA with huge potential and prestigious approvals on manufacturing facilities would strengthen the future business prospects of the company," he added. The company has also received approval for its facilities from Russia-based Gaz Prom, a leading player in Europe's oil and gas industry. The current order book position of the company, including the fresh orders, stands at around Rs 16 billion it added.
October 10th  - Projects Mumbai India - Man Industries plans two pipe mills.
Indian steel pipe maker Man Industries Ltd. plans to set up two pipe mills for about 700 million rupees to meet increasing demand from overseas oil and gas firms, a senior official said on Monday. One of them would be abroad, Chief Operating Officer M. S. Arora said without naming the country, but added Russia was on the company's radar. "We have already started our studies," Arora said adding Man Industries planned the foreign plant to be nearer to overseas customers and cut down on freight cost that typically accounted for up to 10 percent of total production costs. Man Industries, which earlier in day announced securing orders worth 6 billion rupees, said its order book now stood at 17 billion rupees. The company, which has four pipe making mills in the country with an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes, had its facilities approved by Russia's Gazprom.
October 10th  - Projects Mumbai India - Zenith Birla to make steel tubes for oil and automotive companies
Steel pipe maker Zenith Birla (India) Ltd. said on Monday it will start making steel tubes for the automobile and oil and gas industries to meet rising demand from fast-expanding companies in the sector. The company, which makes steel pipes to carry water, plans to invest 882 million rupees to start a 60,000-tonnes-a-year tube plant near Mumbai for the auto industry, Chairman Yash Birla said. It would also convert half its current capacity of 120,000 tonnes to make tubes for oil and gas transport, he added. "Present demand is met by imports now. The opportunity is exponential," Birla said, adding the benefits of the expansion would start from 2008/09. Zenith plans to fund the new plant through a follow-on public offering, which opens on Oct. 16. It hopes to raise 1.31 billion rupees through the issue of 23.82 million shares at 55 rupees each. Consultancy firm McKinsey & Co. said the auto component industry is forecast to grow nearly five-fold to $33-40 billion by 2015. State-run oil firms are also expanding their gas pipeline networks across the country. Zenith, which reported a net profit of 103 million rupees on sales of 2.96 billion rupees in the year to March 2006, has exited the textiles and chemicals business to focus on steel pipes and tools.
October 10th  - Projects Moscow Russia - Metalloinvest to upgrade OEMK & Ural Steel
It is reported that Metalloinvest is planning $3 billion capital expenditure in next 5 year to upgrade its Oskol Metallurgical Plant and Ural Steelits steel mills to produce plates, auto grade CR and pipes for the oil and gas industry. SMS Demag will replace the old open hearth furnace at Ural Steel with oxygen converters with the capacity to produce 3.5 million tonnes of steel per year and supply a 1.2 million tonnes plate mill and a 0.6 million tonnes large diameter pipes plant. Mr Nazim Efendiyev deputy GD informed that Metalloinvest will provide 15% to 20% of the total investment itself and the rest will come from a group of German banks including Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank.
October 4th  - Projects Buenos Aires Argentina - Ternium plans $1.4 billion investments till 2009
Latin America's largest steelmaking group Ternium announced that it plans to invest more than $1.4 billion up to 2009 to expand production at its plants to 12 million tonnes from last year's 11.6 million tonnes. Mr Daniel Novegil president of Ternium detailed the investment plan at an annual meeting of the International Iron and Steel Institute in Buenos Aires. He told Reuters that forecasts of increased demand for steel in Argentina led the company to raise its initial investment in the South American country to $800 million in the next three years from an original planned investment of $680 million. Luxembourg based Ternium is controlled by Argentina's Techint and comprises of Argentina's Siderar, Venezuela's Sidor and Mexico's Hylsamex. Ternium is a major producer of welded tubes and beams, bars rebar and wire rod.
October 4th  - Projects Visakhapatnam India - RINL plans to set up a seamless tube mill
Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, as a pert of its expansion plan, is reported to be considering setting up a seamless tube mill to enter the booming OCTG segment Mr Y Siva Sagar Rao CMD of RINL said “We will start manufacturing seamless pipes for oil and gas pipelines as the energy sector has great potential for growth both domestically and abroad. The current plan is to manufacture 300,000 tonne seamless pipes by December 2008 at an investment of Rs 850 crores.” RINL plans to increase its capacity of hot metal to 8.5 million tonnes from current level of 3.4 million tonnes by 2011-12 at an investment of Rs 8,692 crore.
October 3rd  - Projects Vishakapatnam India - Vizag Steel to produce seamless pipe
State-owned steel producer Rashtriya Ispat Nigam (RINL) plans to enter the lucrative business of manufacturing seamless pipes used in the transportation of oil and gas. Besides, production of flat products also forms part of its next phase of expansion. The Vishakapatnam-based steelmaker, also known as Vizag Steel, has the capacity to produce 3.4 million tonne hot metal per annum, which it plans to increase to 8.5 million tonne by 2011-12 at an investment of Rs 8,692 crore. “We will start manufacturing seamless pipes for oil and gas pipelines as the energy sector has great potential for growth both domestically and abroad. The current plan is to manufacture 3,00,000 tonne seamless pipes by December 2008,” RINL chairman and managing director Y Siva Sagar Rao said, and added that this would cost about Rs 850 crore. Vizag Steel manufactures wire rods, bars, angles, channels, beams, rounds and billets. The plant also produces pig iron, granulated slag and coal chemicals.
September 29th  - Projects Beijing China - France's Vallourec to build 3rd China plant in Changzhou
French seamless steel tube producer Vallourec SA expects China's growth to continue raising the cost of raw materials such as iron ore, even as the country's energy demand helps fuel the firm's expansion. Vallourec plans to build a 50,000 tonne threading plant for tubing and casing used by the oil and gas industry in the eastern Chinese city of Changzhou, the company said on Thursday. The plant will finish pipe primarily produced in Germany. China's 10 percent per year economic growth will continue to lift the prices of both scrap steel and iron ore, said Vallourec chairman Pierre Verluca in a telephone call from Changzhou. "Next year probably there will be an increase" in iron ore prices, after a 19 percent increase in term prices in 2006 and a 72 percent increase in 2005, he said. "For scrap, globally we can say it will keep a positive trend... although less than what we have seen in the past." So far, Vallourec has been able to pass through increases in raw materials costs, said Alain Honnart, chairman of the company's stainless steel division. Nickel prices are within 3 percent of their all-time peak of $29,950 a tonne, reached in August. China's growth has contributed to a surge in world commodity prices, including metals and oil and gas. That's a boon for Vallourec, since about half of its sales are to the oil and gas industry. Another 17 percent comes from the power industry and 11 percent from petrochemical plants. China's crude oil production has risen by about 2 percent since last year, while natural gas production surged by almost 40 percent in the first eight months of 2006 from the year-ago period. Vallourec is adding production facilities around the world, including in Brazil, China and Russia, to be near its customers, Verluca said. Europe now makes up about half of its rolled pipe production, from 100 percent a few years ago, but only one-third of sales. The Americas make up another third, and China --accounting for about one-third of the world's demand for seamless steel tubes -- is "a big part" of the remainder, Verluca said. Vallourec this year began production at a 20,000 tonne-per-year Changzhou plant that makes stainless steel tubes for use in power generators. That plant was expected to generate annual turnover of 50 million euros, a company executive said last year. Another plant under construction in Xi'an, northwest China, will produce titanium welded tubes in cooperation with Chinese titanium firm Baoji Titanium Industry Co. Ltd. The company has invested $100 million in China, including the newest plant and spending over the last 10 years, Verluca said, without providing further breakdown.
September 29th  - Projects London U.K. - Shell joins Samsun Ceyhan pipe build
Royal Dutch Shell has joined Italian oil firm Eni to build an oil pipeline across Turkey to take Black Sea oil to the Mediterranean, writes Martyn Wingrove.The Anglo-Dutch oil major is looking to pump its future Kazakhstan oil production from the Black Sea port of Samsun to the tanker terminal at Ceyhan along the $1.5bn line. 'We have signed an agreement with Eni and Calik Enerji to investigate the possibility of participating in the development of a pipeline between Samsun and Ceyhan,' said a Shell spokeswoman. 'The aim of the project is to provide a convenient and attractive alternative to oil tanker traffic in the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits.' The Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline is seen as a bypass of the very busy ship corridor that links the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, where traffic delays are frequent and long. Shell and Eni hope the pipeline project will reduce the congestion of tanker traffic and offer an export corridor to allow growing quantities of crude to reach Mediterranean markets. Both oil companies are partners in the huge Kashagan oil project in the northern Caspian Sea, which promises to be a major source of new oil supplies to the market when it comes on stream by the end of this decade. It is thought Eni is in discussions with other oil companies planning to increase Kazakh production, including US major Chevron, to farm out stakes in the 550 km pipeline, which may transport 1m barrels per day of crude. With Kashagan and other field projects in the pipeline, Kazakhstan's oil output is due to double, which will increase pressure on tanker traffic through the Bosporus unless bypasses are built.
September 28th  - Projects Mumbai India - Reliance Industries hires 2,000 Chinese for laying pipeline
That Mukesh Ambani likes size and speed is well documented. That is how Reliance Industries has managed to set up mega projects in record time. But apparently, the kind of speed he has notched up until now isn't good enough. Which is why, RIL has now hired at least 2,000 Chinese workers to lay pipelines across the country that will eventually ferry gas from the Krishna Godavari basin. RIL is working on a tight deadline and intends to complete the project by 2009. And kind of skills Chinese workers bring to the table is one of the variables that will help keep the project stick to its deadline. RIL's contract is with a company called China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Corporation (CPPE). When the project is complete, the pipes will carry gas from the KG Basin to Jamnagar in the west and Dadri in the north. Interestingly, when it comes to sourcing the pipes for RIL, a large part has been awarded to China's Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe Company. A few months ago, RIL had floated tenders to source six lakh metric tonne of 48 inch diameter pipes. Of this one lakh metric tonne was awarded to two Indian companies while the rest went to Shanghai BSW and an Italian company. The imports have started since June.
September 28th  - Projects Montreal Quebec - Novamerican Steel announces new pipe finishing facility
Novamerican Steel Inc. announced Wednesday the installation of a new pipe finishing facility at its Nova Tube and Steel operation in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The new in-line capacity will add 50,000 tons of finished pipe on Nova's existing 7" structural tube mill. Novamerican Steel's President Scott Jones commented, "Our customers have been so pleased with the quality of our structural round tubing that it was a natural evolution for us to proceed with this investment into the pipe market. We will be investing in state-of-the-art, in-line equipment to ensure that we are the "lowest cost, highest quality" producer in our market". The project is estimated to cost US $8.5 million and is scheduled for completion in late 2007. Novamerican Steel Inc., based in Montreal, Canada with eleven operating locations in Canada and eleven operating locations in the United States, processes and distributes carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum products, including carbon steel tubing for structural and automotive markets.
September 28th  - Projects Doha Quatar - Future Pipe Industries let major transportation contract to GWC
Gulf Warehousing Company has clinch a QR7.2million transportation contract from Future Pipe Industries Qatar, a global leader in the production of fiber glass pipe. The contract is for transporting pipes from FPI-Q’s factory in the Industrial Area to the Ras Laffan Industrial City, according to a news item posted on the Doha Securities Market (DSM) website.
September 25th  - Projects Portland Oregan - Northwest Pipe to supply pipes for Seymour Capilano tunnel project
Northwest Pipe Company announced that it has been selected to supply $27 million worth of 16,000 feet of 120 inches diameter pipe for the Seymour Capilano tunnel project near Vancouver in British Columbia. The delivery is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2008. Northwest Pipe will manufacture these pipes at its facilities at Adelanto in California and Portland in Oregon Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its water transmission group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in the US and Canada. Its tubular products group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its fabricated products group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has 9 manufacturing facilities across the US and Mexico.
September 23rd  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $27 million order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it has been selected to furnish approximately $27 million of large diameter pipe for the Seymour Capilano tunnel project near Vancouver, British Columbia. Northwest Pipe will supply approximately 16,000 feet of 120-inch diameter steel pipe directly to the Greater Vancouver Regional District. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Adelanto, California and Portland, Oregon divisions with delivery scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2008. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in the United States and Canada. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
September 23rd  - Projects Irkutsk Siberia - Natural gas pipe from Russia to China to cost $4-5 billion
Gazprom expects the construction of a natural gas pipeline connecting Siberia and China to cost $4-5 billion, a member of the Russian energy giant's management committee Thursday. The Altai gas pipeline is considered the principal route to connect natural gas deposits in West Siberia with provinces in western China through the Republic of Altai, which is three time zones east of Moscow. The Russian concern will also supply gas via a route from Russia's Far East. Supplies along both routes will total 68 billion cubic meters a year and are expected to start in 2011. "According to preliminary estimates, the cost of the Altai gas pipeline construction will be $4-5 billion," Bogdan Budzulyak told journalists. He said the cost largely depended on the pipeline route. "If there is a mountain or a river on the gas pipeline route, it significantly affects its cost," he said. Budzulyak, the head of the department of gas transportation, underground storage and utilization, said Gazprom had looked into various possibilities, including building the pipe via neighboring Kazakhstan. But he said the route to energy-hungry China through Altai was the "most realistic." The official said the energy giant, the world's third largest company by capitalization, was trying to avoid routing export pipelines through transit zones because this would incur payments to other countries and create additional risks. Russia is already a major supplier of crude to the world's second largest consumer, but gas supply routes from Siberia to the Chinese cities of Daqin and Shanshan remain on the drawing board, as does another route from the offshore Sakhalin energy project to the northeastern city of Harbin. China is seeking to double the share of natural gas in its total primary energy balance to 6% by 2010.
September 21st  - Projects Panama City Florida - Oceaneering to supply tube for Newfield project
A division of Oceaneering International Inc. has secured a $13 million contract from Newfield Exploration Co. to supply steel tube umbilical for Newfield's Gulf of Mexico Wrigley field development. The 28-mile umbilical will be manufactured at Oceaneering Multiflex's new Panama City, Fla., umbilical manufacturing plant. Delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2006. "This contract with Newfield is a great beginning to what we anticipate will be several more steel tube umbilical awards in the near future for our Panama City plant," said John Huff, chairman and CEO of Oceaneering (NYSE:OII). With subsea completion activity worldwide, and notably in the Gulf of Mexico, expected to remain at historically high levels over the next several years, Houston-based Oceaneering expects the financial performance of its new Panama City facility to "increase substantially next year and be a major contributor to a growth in Oceaneering's earnings," Huff said.
September 20th  - Projects Chatswood New South Wales Australia - Boulder Steel appoints financial advisor for new tube project
Specialty steel company Boulder Steel today announced the appointment of leading Dubai investment bank The National Investor (TNI) to act as its exclusive financial advisor. Boulder Steel Managing Director Dr Peter H. Wallner said TNI’s appointment is the next step in the funding of the company’s Australian Seamless Tube Project including establishing a Middle East-based subsidiary in the form of a finishing facility to undertake the Seamless Tube Project, as well as the expansion of its 50%-owned Euro Forming Services business. Dr Wallner said TNI will act for the specialty steel mill as financial advisor, lead manager, lead arranger and book-runner in relation to the following investment banking services: The raising of $US600 million of debt and equity, pending finalization of a bankable feasibility study, to fund the Seamless Tube Project. As part of the $US600 million, $US150 million will be raised through a secondary listing of Boulder on the Dubai International Financial Exchange (DIFX). This amount may be reduced to the extent that Middle Eastern investors directly participate as minority shareholders in the equity of the subsidiary; and The raising of $US15 million for the expansion of Boulder’s Euro Forming Services through an equity private placement. Potential investors have already been identified and due diligence will proceed shortly. Dr Wallner said it is anticipated that the capital raising will be completed in approximately five months.
September 20th  - Projects Kuala Lumpur Malaysia - Resintech plans to build 2 new plants to double export sales
PIPE maker Resintech Bhd, which is on its way to a second board listing on Bursa Malaysia, wants to build 2 new plants and double its export sales in three years. .Foreign sales now make up about 10 per cent of its total sales, Resintech founder and managing director Datuk Teh Kim Poo told Business Times in an interview recently. Indonesia is seen as a major growth market, besides Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brunei and Singapore. He said the group had decided to go for listing mainly to fund its expansion plans and to pay off a sizeable portion of its borrowings. Resintech designs and makes a range of pipes and fittings used in a variety of applications. They mainly cater to the construction, infrastructure, water, drainage, sewerage, wastewater, energy and telecommunications industries. The firm wants to expand its facilities to East Malaysia to spur growth. The group wants to set up a plant each in Sabah and Sarawak to cut costs on transporting products to the two states. Resintech has three plants in Peninsular Malaysia, at Telok Panglima Garang, Balakong and Kapar.
September 18th  - Projects Oslo Norway - Subsea 7 wins US$ 200 million pipe contract from Esso Angola
Subsea 7 Inc said it has been awarded a contract worth an estimated 200 mln usd by Esso Angola Ltd, for work associated with the Kizomba C Saxi-Batuque project in Block 15 offshore Angola. Subsea 7 said it will perform the design, pipe fabrication and installation of 16 steel flowlines and their accompanying flowline terminations. The Norwegian company said installation of the flowlines is due to commence in the fourth quarter of 2007 in water depths of 650-810 meters.
September 18th  - Projects New Delhi India - Tata Steel to expand capacity for precision and structural tubes
Tata Steel is considering venturing into oil and gas pipeline manufacture as it expands capacity for precision and structural tubes to cash in on the construction boom. With the demand for oil and gas pipeline infrastructure expected to rise in the country and overseas, Tata Steel sees good potential for diversification of its tube manufacturing activities, said Vivek Kamra, executive in-charge of tubes. "We are looking at financials for undertaking the manufacture of pipes for oil and gas (transportation). The proposal has not been finalized yet," said Kamra on the sidelines of a conference organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Thursday. The average gestation period for the foray is expected to be around three years.Kamra sees 300,000 tonnes capacity as viable for venturing into oil and gas pipeline manufacture. Currently, only a few major companies like Welspun and Jindal cater to the demands of the oil and gas pipeline sector. "In tubes we are focusing on three segments - precision tubes, structural tubes and oil and gas tubes. In precision tubes we currently have capacity for 50,000 tonnes and are investing Rs.1.2 billion (in Jamshedpur) for raising capacity to 125,000 tonnes by next year. We have already acquired the latest high end tube making machines," the official said.
See Extended Story..
September 15th  - Projects Krefeld, Germany - Schulz eyes 5,000 ton welded tubes in first 12 months at Brazilian plant
German steel products maker Wilhelm Schulz GmbH expects output of welded stainless steel tubes at its plant in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state to reach 5,000t during the first 12 months of operations, a company official told BNamericas. Schulz aims to begin construction of the 6,000t/y plant in Campos dos Goitacazes city in October, while operations are scheduled to start in July 2007, BNamericas previously reported. "After one year or so of operations we expect to reach full capacity, but first the plant will go through a learning curve," Schulz VP for South America Marcelo Bueno said. The plant will include as partners German welded tube manufacturers EEW and Gothe, while Schulz will have the controlling stake, according to Bueno. "Total investment in the plant is expected to come in at 30million-32million reais (US$14million-15million)," he said. Fundecam, the development fund of Campos city, is due to provide 12million reais for the project, the VP said, adding the balance will come from Schulz and the other partners. Schulz is also building a 600,000 parts-per-year stainless steel connectors and special alloys unit also in Campos scheduled to begin operations in November.
September 12th  - Projects Bucharest Romania - Mittal Steel Roman to invest $8 million in 2006
It is reported that Romania based seamless tube maker Mittal Steel Roman has earmarked investments worth $8 million for this year in line with the undertaking given in privatization contract. Mr Regie Paul Aikaravelil GM of Mittal Steel Roman said "Mittal Steel is carrying out solid investment programs targeting the Roman based plant, pursuant to the commitments it made as part of the privatization contract. In 2006, investment projects will revolve around 8 million dollars.” Mr Regie Paul said "Mittal Steel Roman implemented a solid restructuring program right after privatization and this program has boosted the company's turnover and performance. The company started using its production facilities at full capacity and embraced a policy of on-time delivery. All these were backed by positive conditions both on the domestic and the international pipe market." Mittal Steel Roman manufactures seamless steel pipes used in the extraction and shipping of crude oil and natural gas, as well as in civil engineering.
September 9th  - Projects Oslo Norway - Norsk Hydro signs 3 billion nkr pipe contract with Mitsui Norway
Norsk Hydro ASA said it has awarded Mitsui & Company Norway a framework contract to deliver the casing and production pipes, as well as accompanying services, for all of Norsk Hydro's drilling operations on the Norwegian continental shelf for the next four years, at a value of 3 billion nkr. While the contract runs for an initial four year period, it has options to extend it by up to another four years. Under the terms of the deal, Mitsui is to deliver casing and production pipes from Japan and the UK, in addition to services linked to storage, preparation and machine workshop services in Norway. Norsk Hydro said that while the framework contract only covers its activities on the Norwegian continental shelf, it also includes an option to enlarge it to include the company's international activities.
September 9th  - Projects Paris France - Technip awarded US$ 200 million contract by Origin Energy Resources
Technip has been awarded a reimbursable ("cost plus fee") contract worth approximately USD 200 million by Origin Energy Resources (Kupe) Limited ("Origin") for the overall development of the Kupe Gas Project. The development is located in the Taranaki Basin, 30km off the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Origin is acting as operator of the Kupe Gas Development on behalf of the joint venture formed with Genesis Energy, New Zealand Oil and Gas Limited and Mitsui E & P New Zealand Limited. This contract will be executed in alliance with Origin and comprises the design, engineering, procurement, installation, construction, pre-commissioning and commissioning of an unmanned wellhead platform with capacity for up to 6 wells plus future satellites a 12" multiphase pipeline to shore and umbilical from the platform to shore a horizontal directionally drilled shore crossing (HDD) onshore processing facilities to meet the planned production rate of 70 Tj/d an export pipeline for gas sales plus liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and condensate loading bays. The project team will be based in Technip's offices in Perth (Western Australia) with detail design support from Technip's operations and engineering center in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). With a workforce of more than 21,000 people, The Technip, Group manufactures flexible pipes and umbilicals, and builds offshore platforms in its manufacturing plants and fabrication yards in France, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Finland and Angola, and has a fleet of specialized vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction.
September 6th  - Projects Chongquing China - Golddragon Precise copper Tube Group to build new plant in Chongquing
Gold Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, the King of Copper Tube that has occupied nine-tenths of China's air conditioner copper tube market, plans to invest 1.5 billion yuan (US$188 million) to build a plant in Chongqing, southwest China. Construction of the plant is expected to start within this year, revealed Xu Ming, vice president of the Group. Gold Dragon Group, headquartered in Xinxiang, central China's Henan Province, is the largest copper tube producer in China, dominating more than 60 per cent of the domestic copper tube market and 90 per cent of the home air conditioner copper tube market. It is predicted that the first phase of the Chongqing plant will be completed before 2008, and it will turn out 20,000 tons of copper tube and generate three billion yuan in output value annually. China's three leading air conditioner brands, Gree, MD and Haier, have all flooded to build production bases in Chongqing. The demand of Gree and MD is estimated to be 15,000 tons and the demand is likely to exceed 30,000 tons as the Haier Industrial Park goes into production.
September 2nd  - Projects Pretoria South Africa - Nersa Gives Sasol Licence to Build Gas Distribution Pipeline
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) is to issue the first licence for the piped-gas industry. The Regulator will issue the licence to Sasol Gas Limited on Friday, for the construction of a R17 million gas distribution pipeline in Roodekop in Germiston, on the East Rand. Nersa Hydro-carbons Executive Manager Themba Tsela told BuaNews on Wednesday that Sasol would be expected to begin with construction immediately after the licence had been issued. "We expect the gas pipeline to be up and running by next year February," said Mr Tsela. The construction of the gas distribution pipeline would be an expansion to the existing Sasol plant in Germiston, and would span a 4.5 kilometre radius of the plant. Mr Tsela indicated the pipeline would supply gas to Sasol's five new major industrial clients. He however could not reveal the names of the new clients, saying they would be revealed during a media briefing on Friday.
September 2nd  - Projects Muscat Oman - Tenders called for pipeline replacement project
Invitation to Tenders are for Pipeline Replacement Project The tender will consists of 2 projects: a)Runib-Rima Pipeline Replacement Project - construction of one GRE 20" 32 barg (28km) pipeline. b)Maurid Expansion Project - one GRE 16" 35 barg pipeline, and one 12" 900# carbon steel water injection pipeline (both 28km), from Maurid to Marmul Main Production Station (MMPS) and Deep Water Disposal (DWD) Plant respectively. Site Visit Date: 5-6/09/2006. Clarification Request Closing Date: 18/09/2006. Receipt of Tender Bond 23/09 2006. Technical Tender Submission Date.To be submitted to the SCA: FPO/34: 23/09/2006. Commercial Tender Submission Date.To be submitted to FTB.: 23/09/2006. Online Bidding Date: 02/10 2006. General Details: Organisation: PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT OMAN L.L.C. (PDO) Client Address: P.O. Box 81, Postal Code 113, Muscat Sultanate of Oman , Oman, Tel: +968 24674241 Fax: +968 24673348 Bidding Type: International Competitive Bidding Financier: Self-Funded
September 2nd  - Projects Jakarta Indonesia - Regulator gives Pertamina 2 months to decide on Java pipeline project
Downstream oil and gas regulatory body BPH Migas said PT Pertamina has two months from Aug 8 to decide whether to pull out or go through with the 250-km Gresik-Semarang gas pipeline project that it won through a tender. Pertamina was named as the winning bidder after proposing the lowest toll fee for the project of 25 US cents per mln British thermal unit (mmBtu). Its bid estimated the project cost at 179.7 mln usd and was backed by lenders PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) and BNP Paribas. But the pricing of its proposal had assumed a deal for the use of PT Kereta Api's land and train railways for the pipeline. That deal appears to fallen through, prompting Pertamina to propose an upward revision in its capex plan and toll fee. "An escalation in the price is something that is impossible. It is against the rules," said BPH Migas chairman Tubagus Haryono. "A price change can only be made after a project has been in operation for a certain period," he said. "There are two alternatives -- transfer the project (to the second best bidder) or make another tender. But it will take time to make another tender," Haryono said. BPH Migas had named PT Rekayasa Industri as second-best bidder although its proposed toll fee of 41 US cents per mmbtu was higher than that of another bidder, PT Bakrie Brothers, which was at 36 US cents per mmbtu. Haryono said a winner was not selected solely based on the toll fee proposed but also on other aspects of the bids. The project is part of a planned 480-km pipeline stretching from Gresik in East Java to Cirebon, West Java.
September 2nd  - Projects Moscow - Russia to sign pipeline deal with Greece, Bulgaria by year end
The Russian government said it is to sign a deal over the future Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, which will transport Russian oil to Greece via Bulgaria, by the end of the year. The announcement comes a few days before the visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Bulgarian counterpart Sergei Stanishev to Athens on Sept 4, where they will discuss energy matters. The project is set to link the Bulgarian port of Bourgas with the Greek port of Alexandroupolis, transporting Caspian sea oil coming by boat from the Russian port of Novorossisk.
August 31st  - Projects Meadville Pennsylvania - SECO Warwick to supply annealing furnace to Gulf States Tube
SECO Warwick Corp of Meadville in Pennsylvania has been awarded a contract by Gulf States Tube Ltd to build a roller hearth furnace for continuous annealing of tubes and pipes. The delivery is scheduled for late November. The complete system will include furnace, loading -unloading tables, control system, Exogas (exothermic) generator, and refrigerant dryer. The system will process 10,000 lb/hr (4,500 kg) of 1 inch (25mm) diameter tubing to increase product throughput. The tubes will vary in size from 5/8” to 2” OD (16mm to 50 mm) with output rates varying according to process requirements of the tubing products. SECO WARWICK Worldwide manufactures industrial heat processing equipment including heat treat furnaces, vacuum furnace technology, atmosphere generators and aluminum reverb melting and holding systems. The globally integrated organization includes SECO/WARWICK Corp. in the USA and SECO/WARWICK Group Poland consisting of SECO/WARWICK Ltd and ELTERMA SA.
August 30th  - Projects Tehran Iran - TATA Steel gets approval for Iranian project
Iranian news agency, citing Mr. Bahman Ayyar Rezaii MD of Iran’s Persian Gulf Special Zone for Metal and Mineral Industries, has reported that TATA Steel has been given the permit to set up a steel 4 million tonne steel plant in this zone. Mr Rezaii has been quoted as putting the cost of the steel project at $1.5 billion to $2 billion and that raw materials and gas for the steel plant would be supplied by the Iranian side.
August 24th  - Projects Kolkata (Calcutta) India - SAIL in a hurry to scale up operations
Faced with greenfield competition from the Mittals, Posco and Tatas, and goaded by the Union steel ministry to shorten the timeline for execution of its corporate plan, the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) is rushing through various components of its brownfield expansion. Soon after giving the go-ahead for a Rs 1,553 crore project to its Salem Steel Plant and Rs 1,800 crore for developing the Chiria iron ore mines, the SAIL board has cleared a Rs 738 crore package for Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP). Meanwhile, its Bokaro Steel Plant has gone ahead and announced a 5 million tonne (mt), Rs 20,000 crore greenfield steel plant, which will be outside the Rs 35,000 crore SAIL Corporate Plan 2010-11. According to ministry officials, Union steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan has made it clear to the SAIL top brass including chairman designate S K Roongta that while the government would expeditiously clear all projects put forth by the country’s largest steel producer, the SAIL board would have to set a goal of achieving the targets set in its Corporate Plan well before the scheduled 2011. The Rs 738-crore package for DSP would be for setting up a bar and rod mill with an annual capacity of 0.7 mt. “The mill will enhance our finished component in the product mix from a shade over 40% to around 77%,” V Shyamsundar, managing director, DSP said. “The mill is expected to be commissioned within two years and will substantially improve profitability of the plant. We will also be setting up a medium structural mill of around 0.4-0.6 mt capacity,” Shyamsundar said.
August 24th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces major Texas order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it was named as pipe supplier to S.J. Louis of Mansfield, Texas to supply approximately 67,000 feet of 84-inch diameter steel pipe, valued at approximately $26 million. The pipe is for the East Fork Raw Water Supply Pipeline, a project of the North Texas Municipal Water District. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Saginaw, Denver and Parkersburg divisions with delivery scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2007. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in the United States and Canada. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
August 23rd  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company Announces Monterrey Expansion
Northwest Pipe Company reported this week that it had completed an expansion of it facility in Monterrey, Mexico. The Company has constructed a 20,000 square foot, crane-served fabrication facility to augment its existing metal fabrication capabilities. This new expansion possesses extensive metal forming, welding and processing capabilities. The Company has already begun serving the fabrication requirements of selected OEM customers. Further, NW Pipe believes this added capability will give it the low cost position in producing high-value added components, such as fittings and pipe specials, in its Water Transmission Division. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in the United States and Canada. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
August 21st  - Projects Youngstown Ohio - V&M Star to supply seamless line pipe for Prudhoe Bay repair
Vallourec & Mannesmann Tube’s V&M STAR is one of the suppliers that has been selected to provide 30-35,000 feet of 10¾-inch, high strength, seamless line pipe for BP’s Prudhoe Bay in Alaska pipeline operations. V&M STAR has agreed to adjust current operating schedules in both its Houston and Youngstown facilities to provide BP with the best possible delivery. The process will begin in Youngstown with steel and pipe making and then the pipe will be shipped to Houston for final processing which includes heat treatment, inspection and end finishing. Final delivery of the product will be made to BP in Houston by mid September and BP will arrange transportation from Houston to Prudhoe Bay.
August 16th  - Projects Anchorage Alaska - BP signs deals to supply pipes in Alaska
BP said in a press release it had signed two major deals to supply new pipe for approximately 10 of the 16 miles of an Alaskan oil pipeline it was forced to begin shutting down last week. The discovery of leaks and severe corrosion in the pipeline prompted the company to say it planned a gradual shutdown of the entire Prudhoe Bay oil field, the nation's largest. But late Thursday last week, the company said it may keep the western side of the pipeline open. About 140,000 barrels of oil were still flowing out of Prudhoe Bay as of late Thursday, said Craig Wiggs, a performance unit leader for BP. BP PLC spokesman Scott Dean said that the company had signed contracts with United States Steel Corp. and Nippon Steel Corp. to supply the 10 miles of pipeline, and is working to win contracts for the remaining materials. Dean said it was too early to say exactly how much the total project will cost, but insisted BP is not looking to pinch pennies.
July 14th  - Projects Campos Brazil - Schulz sets welded tube plant capacity at 6,000 tonnes
German steel products maker Schulz's who was previously undecided on the capacity of its new welded tube plant in the city of Campos (see news item July 12) announced Wednesday that the plant will have a capacity of 6,000t/y. Schulz aims to begin construction of the plant in October this year, "as we plan to start operations in July of 2007," company VP for South America Marcelo Bueno told reporters. The project will include two other partners. "We plan to officially announce the names in September," Bueno said, adding Schulz will hold a controlling stake in the plant.
July 14th  - Projects Suzhou China - India's Tubular Investment Co., Ltd. sets up China plant.
Tubular Investment Co., Ltd. of India has set up its first wholly-owned subsidiary in China - Tubular Precision Products (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. in this booming city in China's eastern Jiangsu Province. The new company, involving an initial registered capital of US$8.05 million, is the first Indian high-tech enterprise in the Suzhou Industrial Park. Tubular is a unit of Murugappa Group with assets topping US$1.5 billion. It is a leading seamless steel tube manufacturing company in India. Eyeing on the vast market in China, Murugappa and its subsidiary Tubular are making overall arrangement of its production bases in China mainly to serve the Chinese automotive industry and other industrial enterprises with demand for precision steel tubes. The new Suzhou facility is to bring new vigor to the development of the local auto parts industry.
July 12th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK to install a new seamless tube mill at Tahanrog
Russian Pipe Metallurgical Company TMK has ordered for supply & installation of a state of art technology seamless tube plant for its Tagmet Metallurgical Works in Taganrog. The start of production of the plant is scheduled for the beginning of 2008. The new plant will replace two pilger mills and boost the annual capacity by more than three times with a significant increase in profitability of TMK. The plant will produce tubes in the size range from 2" to 10 ¾" and is designed for an annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes. The product spectrum includes oil & gas field tubes of the highest grades to meet all international standards.
July 12th  - Projects Mumbai India - Pratibha Industries to set up 520-million-rupee saw pipe unit
Pratibha Industries Ltd. said on Monday it had abandoned plans of a joint venture with a Singapore company and would set up a saw pipe division on its own. The company said in a statement it had revised the project cost to 520 million rupees from 270 million rupees, and would now include a coating plant.
July 12th  - Projects Newport, Kentucky - NS Group to expand seamless tube capacity
US based NS Group Inc announced that its board of directors approved capital projects totaling $98 million to expand its seamless tube making and heat treating capacity. The projects are expected to be completed in approximately 18 months with anticipated production outages directly related to the projects of about two weeks. The investments which will broaden its size range to include 5 ½” diameter seamless tubular products and also increase NS Group's total seamless tubular capacity to approximately 319,000 tons per year from the current level of approximately 266,000 tons per year. In addition, the project will include new quench and temper equipment at its facility in Baytown, Texas, which will increase the company's total heat treat capacity by 29% from 280,000 to 360,000 tons per year. Mr Rene J Robichaud president and CEO stated "We are very excited about these projects. Our tube mill has been running at capacity since January 2004. These projects, while designed to increase our seamless tubular capacity by 20%, will also allow us to better serve our customers with an additional popular size that is frequently used in today's more challenging drilling environments. Further, these projects are anticipated to provide significant cost reduction benefits across all of our seamless production tons. Upon completion, these projects are expected to have a combined payback of approximately two years, assuming current market conditions.”
July 11th  - Projects Beijing China - Gazprom to build 2 pipelines form Siberia to China
China Daily has reported that Gazprom plan to build two natural gas pipelines from Siberia o transport 68 billion cubic meters of gas every year, one extending to China’s Xinjiang Uygur region and the other to Heilongjiang province citing Mr Li Xianglin communist party secretary of Xinjiang’s Altay region. Shanghai Securities News said that the western pipeline would be the first of the two planned pipelines to begin operation, in 2010. It said that the western pipeline, linked to the more plentiful western Siberian gas reserves, will cover a distance of 2,800 kilometers and have a designed production capacity of 30 billion cubic meters a year. The second, eastern pipeline that will connect to Heilongjiang would be supplied by eastern Siberian gas fields. That pipeline should start operation in 2015, the report said. Russian-British giant THK-BP owns a 63% share of the giant Kovykta gas condensate field in eastern Siberia. It would like to start the development of this field as soon as possible, but Gazprom, which holds monopoly on all gas exports, says the development of Kovykta should not be started before 2015.
July 11th  - Projects Beijing China - Julong Steel Pipe Co to supply 37,000 tonnes for Fujian LNG Pipeline
Julong Steel Pipe, a large diameter pipe JV of China National Petroleum Corporation and Marubeni-Itochu Steel, got 37,000 tonnes of order for JCO process shaped large diameter welded steel pipe from Chinese pipeline project of Fujian LNG for supply within a year. Julong Steel Pipe Co.,Ltd. is a joint venture which is joint invested by Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau, Itochu Marubeni Steel Inc. Corporation of Japan, CPTDC(a subsidiary of CNPC), China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPPLB) and Tianjin Hongda International Freight Agent Co.. Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau is the majority party with 60% of the stock.
July 10th  - Projects Shanghai China - Baosteel orders large diameter pipe mill from SMS Meer.
Baoshan Iron & Steel Co Ltd has placed an order with SMS Meer of Mönchengladbach in Germany for the supply of machines and equipment for a new large diameter pipe mill to enter the booming marked for large diameter gas and oil pipes. The pipe mill is designed for an annual capacity of around 500,000 tonnes and will be erected in Shanghai. Erection and commissioning of the complete plant are scheduled for 2007. On completion, this pipe mill will be internationally one of the most modern of its kind. The new mill will be used to produce longitudinal SAW pipes with diameters from 508mm to 1,420mm and wall thicknesses up to 40 mm in lengths of maximum 18.3 meters in grades up to X100. SMS Meer is to supply all the main machines and key components for the new large diameter pipe plant. This includes a plate edge miller, plate edge crimping press, forming section consisting of a U-ing and an O-ing press, tack welding machines, two expanders, hydrostatic pipe tester, engineering for the transport facilities and the systems for the electrical control of the whole plant. All the machines and equipment are linked by interconnecting longitudinal and cross transfer conveyor systems optimized to protect the pipes and minimize noise. SMS Meer GmbH forms part of the Tube, Long Product and Forging Technology Business Area of the SMS group.
July 10th  - Projects Dubai UAE - Tianjin Pipe to establish seamless pipe plant in UAE or Oman
Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corporation is considering setting up a 500,000 tonne per year seamless pipes manufacturing plant in the UAE or in Oman. A high level delegation from TPCO will visit the UAE as well as Oman this month for the final selection of the location of the plant. Mr by Abdullah Jan Sabri MD of Jebel Ali Free Zone based Tianjin Pipe Corporation (ME) Ltd told Khaleej Times that the Gulf plant would specialize in Oil Country Tubular Goods, which include seamless pipes, casing for oil and gas wells, and tubing. It will also specialize in line pipes, and have facilities for heat treatment and pipe finishing. Ms Li Runhong deputy GM said that the TPCO is the largest seamless pipe exporter in China and the Middle East region is one of its main overseas markets. She said "By establishing a manufacturing facility within the region, TPCO is aiming to offer competitive services to overseas customers, realize its international management strategies, and take advantage of host countries' fast developing markets."
July 8th  - Projects New Delhi India - GAIL awards Dabhol - Panvel Pipeline Project to Punj Lloyd
Punj Lloyd Ltd has announced that GAIL has awarded it the contract valued at Rs 1642.40 million for Dabhol - Panvel Pipeline Project on EPC basis. Comprising two parts, the project involves the laying of the 30'' dia pipeline in 113 kilometer length from Panvel to upstream of Savitri river crossing in 2 spreads and a length of 74 kilometers from upstream of Savitri river crossing to Dabhol terminal. The scheduled time for completion is within 10 and half months from the date of contract The scope of work broadly involves residual engineering, procurement, installation, testing and commissioning of Panvel - Dabhol 30” diameter pipeline system from GAIL's station, installation at Panvel to Dabhol terminal including terminal work, and laying of optical fiber cable, HDPE duct etc. The line pipe shall be supplied as free issue material by GAIL.
July 8th  - Projects Moscow Russia - TMK & Gazprom approve R&D program for large diameter pipes
Russian Pipe Metallurgical Company TMK and Gazprom have approved a research and development cooperation program for 2006-2009 that is aimed at coordinating efforts to develop import substituting and new types of high performance pipe products for Gazprom. TMK along with leading research institutes such as VNIIGAZ, TsNIIChM, RosNITI and IMET RAN will work to further develop production of electric welded large diameter pipes. TMK said that the future products being developed jointly by TMK and Gazprom also include corrosion resistant drilling pipes made from high strength metal with internal smooth coating, highly hermetic thread couplings for casing pipes and tubing string, and other types of products. TMK is a traditional supplier of pipe products for Gazprom and has shipped more than 150,000 tonnes of pipes to Gazprom in the first half of 2006 including about 110,000 tonnes of pipes with diameter of 1420 mm.
July 8th  - Projects Portland, Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $23Million contract.
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it will supply approximately $23 million of welded steel pipe for the Eagle Mountain Connection Project. The project is for the Tarrant Regional Water District which serves customers in the North Central Texas area. The verbal agreement from Garney Construction of Kansas City, Missouri to supply approximately 48,300 feet of 84-inch diameter steel pipe. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Saginaw, Texas and Denver, Colorado divisions with delivery scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2006. Northwest Pipe Company manufactures welded steel pipe in three business segments. Its Water Transmission Group is a leading supplier of large diameter, high-pressure steel pipe products that are used primarily for water transmission in the United States and Canada. Its Tubular Products Group manufactures smaller diameter steel pipe for a wide range of construction, agricultural, energy, industrial and mechanical applications. Its Fabricated Products Group manufactures propane tanks and other fabricated products. The Company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has nine manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico.
July 6th  - Projects Akatau Kazakhstan - Mittal Steel Temirtau completes construction of tube-making works
Mittal Steel Temirtau JSC, has put into operation a tube making plant on June 30th as per a statement at a conference in Karaganda from its director general Mr Naval Choudhary. It is supposed to work at full capacity by mid July and another coating line will enter into service in late summer Mr Choudhary said that around $30 million was channeled into the works construction and that it is our contribution to the development of the country’s oil and gas industry sector.
July 6th  - Projects Moscow Russia - OMK to set up a wide plate mill for large diameter pipe by 2010
Russia's United Metallurgical Company OMK has planned to invest $700 million in production in 2006 as compared with $500 million in 2005. OMK plans to start producing plates for large diameter pipes at a Mill-5000 in the first quarter of 2010. Mr Vladimir Markin OMK’s president told a press conference in Moscow that OMK would select an equipment supplier for the new mill in the first half of 2007 and could start building it in the third quarter of 2007. Mr Markin also said that OMK's Chusovoi Metals Plant would build a steel mill to produce feedstock for its own production and to produce slabs. The cost of OMK's Mill-5000 project was not disclosed, however projects like this cost between $800 million and $1 billion. Mr Anatoly Sedykh OMK’s board chairman said that OMK would provide 40% of the investment and borrow the rest. The Mill-5000 will produce plates with width up to 4.5 meters and length up to 12.5 meters. The plates would be used by OMK’s Vyksa Metals Plant to produce up to 1.2 million tonnes of pipes up to 1,420 millimeters in diameter with walls up to 48 mm thick for oil and gas pipelines working at a pressure of up to 250 atmospheres.
July 5th  - Projects Lagos Nigeria - Oil company gets US$60million umbilicals installation contract
Nigeria's oil company ,Subsea 7 has been awarded a subcontract worth $60 million from Technip for installation work in the Agbami field operated by Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited The contract was awarded on behalf of its partners Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf Inc, Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited, Statoil Nigeria Limited, Famfa Oil Limited, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The subcontract, valued at approximately $60million, is for the installation and testing of 15 infield umbilicals, manufactured by Technip’s subsidiary, Duco Limited. The installation and testing will also involve 12 support suction piles and associated manifolds, the installation of 26 steel tube-flying leads and the pre-installation of 52 electrical flying leads. Subsea 7 will perform the work in late 2007. The Agbami field is located offshore in approximately 1,500m water depth and about 70 kilometers offshore of the central area of the Niger Delta, Nigeria.
June 30th  - Projects Caracas Venezuela - Bolivia joins proposed pipe line project
Bolivia formally joined Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil on Tuesday in a proposed South American natural-gas pipeline project, saying the recent nationalization of its gas industry would not undermine the hugely ambitious pipeline plan. Bolivian Energy Minister Andres Soliz met his counterparts - Rafael Ramirez of Venezuela, Julio de Vido of Argentina and Silas Rondeau of Brazil - in the Venezuelan capital as Bolivia was officially integrated into the "coordination, evaluation and development" of the project, the ministers said in a joint statement. The pipeline project, championed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, proposes to carry gas from Venezuela's offshore reserves through Brazil to Argentina, with branches extending to Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay - a 5,600-mile stretch that would be one of the longest gas pipelines ever built.
June 27th  - Projects Brisbane Australia - Steelforce is ready for a major expansion.
Australia's Steelforce has just sent its first two shipments of steel from the company's new 30,000 tonne per annum Chinese steel pipe and tube manufacturing plant back to Australia. Executive director Kevin Seamark said the shipments had been sold as they landed throughout the group's distribution centers. The company is keen to expand further and grow the business but Mr Seamark and recently appointed chief executive David Lew, an ex-Smorgon's operative, would not be drawn on the timing of any capital raising or an IPO. "We are looking at a capital structure at the moment to take us forward," Mr Lew said. Mr Seamark said no real decision had been made as the group was considering a number of options. Steelforce has a 75 per cent interest in the steel manufacturing plant joint-venture company Dalian Steelforce High Tech and is in the process of increasing its interest to 100 per cent. The plant is located 16km from one of Dalian China's largest natural ports. Mr Seamark said the 29,000 sq m site was large enough to handle a further two manufacturing plants, which could ultimately increase capacity to 240,000 tonnes per annum. "Everyone is looking for a quality product out of China and it is a bit difficult to get, but now we have control of a mill over there we can produce a quality product which is in good demand," Mr Seamark said. "We can now supply steel at the right price." He said the company had access to low-cost manufacturing in China and also had a trading division that liaised with overseas markets. "In early production we are bringing the steel into Australia, but we are investigating exporting to Korea, the US, New Zealand and Europe," he said.
June 24th  - Projects Bejing China - Sinopec 1700 km natural gas pipeline project likely to get green light.
"Is it necessary for Sinopec to build a 1,700-km pipeline to carry the gas to be produced in Puguang gasfield to the Shandong market?" The answer is simply "Yes" for certain. The most compelling reason is that the Shandong market extremely needs natural gas. According to Sinopec's plan, the pipeline will travel through Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan and then terminate at Shandong. Provinces such as Hubei, Henan and Shandong are eager to receive natural gas as much as possible to meet their energy demand and improve their energy consumption structure.
June 14th  - Projects Canton Ohio - Timken to supply drill collar tubes to Julon PetroMaterials
The Timken Company announced that Tokyo based Julong PetroMaterials Inc has ordered more than $6 million of Timken(R) seamless tubes for its drill collars. A drill collar is the heavy tubular connector between a drill pipe and a drill bit. Mr Jeff Hoerr director of international alloy steel sales and marketing for Timken in China said "Drill collars do the dirty work in a drill string where the environments are really harsh and few mills are able to produce these long tubes needed for this application. We were able to tap into our expertise in manufacturing and materials science to create a cost effective, high quality solution for Julong." Julong PetroMaterials manufactures and sells high quality, premium products for oil development and is one of the largest drilling tool manufacturers and distributors for China. Julong PetroMaterials is a leading company in the manufacturing and distribution of drilling tools and materials to the Chinese oil energy market.
June 12th  - Projects Kuala Lumpur - L&T & SapuraCrest to build a $100 million pipe laying vessel
Larsen & Toubro Ltd and Malaysian SapuraCrest Petroleum Berhad (SapuraCrest) have announced the formation of a JV to build, own and operate a derrick cum pipe laying barge valued at $100 million. SapuraCrest will own 40% of the yet to be named JV with 60% being held by L&T. The vessel will allow the Companies to better address the growing global demand for oil and gas engineering, procurement, installation, construction and services. The vessel will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2008. The 130 meter vessel is capable of lifting heavy loads of up to 1600 tonnes revolving, and 2400 tonnes in fixed mode. It will provide offshore installation services including sub sea pipe laying, platform installation opportunities across India, the Middle East, South East Asia, Australia and the Sakhalin region.
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June 12th  - Projects Windsor Connecticut - Thermodynetics' Turbotec Products Unit Wins New $700,000 Order
Thermodynetics' 56.32% owned subsidiary, Turbotec Products, announces that it has received a new order for its enhanced surface heat transfer tubing. Turbotec estimates that the order will be fulfilled over the next 18 to 24 months with a total contract value of up to $700,000.The application of the tubing is for a new low emission boiler that the customer has recently introduced. The low emissions are to restrict the release of Nitrous Oxides into the atmosphere while also providing a higher efficiency boiler. The new boiler is aimed at the commercial marketplace and is designed to meet the new emissions standards rolling out across the US. Turbotec designed a new grooved, stainless steel tube in concert with the customer's engineering staff earlier this year, specifically with the new emissions boilers in mind. This marks the second boiler tube design that Turbotec has developed for this customer. The new boiler system is being well received in the industry.
June 10th  - Projects Indianapolis Indiana - Madison company launching new firm, creating 120 jobs
Midwest Tube Mills a Madison company announced Thursday they are launching R&T Steel and Wire, a new firm that will manufacture dog kennels and security panels and create 120 jobs for the area. Midwest Tube has started construction on a 20,000-square-foot building to house the new company. Gov. Mitch Daniels joined Midwest Tube executives in Madison for the announcement. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. will provide incentives that include up to $38,500 in training grants and up to $310,000 in tax credits based on anticipated employment and capital investment levels. “Madison is proving again today that Indiana’s smaller communities can compete with anyone,” Daniels said in a statement. R&T Steel and Wire will make kennels in different shapes and sizes. The company also will supply security panels for road projects to state and federal government contractors for highway improvements and building projects. Construction on the manufacturing facility will be completed in late July. Hiring will begin in early August. “We are very excited to be grounded in Madison, and we look forward to creating many new jobs and setting the standard for quality products to be manufactured here at R&T Steel and Wire,” Midwest Tube Mills executive Mary Beth Boone said yesterday in a statement.Midwest Tube Mills is an industrial manufacturer of galvanized steel tubing and employs 60 people in Madison.
June 9th  - Projects Jakarta Indonesia - China’s TPCO to build pipe factory in Batam
Chinese pipe producer Tianjin Pipe International Economic & Trading Corp. (TPCO) said it plans to build a new plant in Batam but has a problem with electricity shortages on the industrial island, just south of Singapore. TPCO's senior director Sun Ning Yu said compared with other investment destinations, Batam represents a secure and strategic environment in which to construct a pipe plant. However, the Batam Authority's marketing and public relations manager Tri Novianta Putra said the investment plan was hampered by insufficient supply of power from the state electricity company PLN. Tri said the Chinese company, which produces 1.5 million tons of pipes a year in China, was serious about building the plant, according to a report in The Jakarta Post.The company has secured a 10 hectare plot of land on which it will build the plant, he said last weekend.
June 9th  - Projects Perth Australia - West - East Gas Pipeline could be in the cards
A pipeline pumping gas from Western Australia to the east coast could be part of the nation's future landscape, Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says. "It is not a new concept to pipe gas from the North West Shelf across into the Australian grid, but it is one of the options for Australia's energy future," Senator Campbell told reporters in Perth. "The commonwealth has committed to seeing a massive increase in gas as part of our energy supplies." The minister said energy demands were expected to double in the next 25 to 30 years and Australia needed to generate more energy, while reducing carbon emissions. "That is a terrifically important thing for Australia and for job security for Australians," Senator Campbell said. He said while switching to gas was "an incredibly efficient way" to reduce carbon emissions, the Prime Minister had made it clear that the nation must look at all options.
June 7th  - Projects New Delhi India - Atlas Cycles to set up a new facility for Atlas Steel Tube Industries
Atlas Cycles (Haryana) Limited, Malanpur Unit, India’s leading bicycle maker laid the foundation stone for a Rs 55 crores state-of-the-art facility for its captive unit, Atlas Steel Tube Industries at Bawal Friday June 2nd . Spread across 9 acres and equipped with the latest manufacturing facilities, the plant will be set up with a capital expenditure of approximately Rs 55 crores. Besides increasing production capacities, it is also expected to generate additional revenue for the Government and employment for the local people of Bawal and surrounding areas. The plant will be commissioned in the coming four months. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Salil Kapur, President, Mr. Sanjay Kapur, Joint President, Mr. Prashannt Kapur, Vice President & Mr. Ashwin Kapur along with other senior officials of the Company and local officials and dignitaries of the district. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Salil Kapur, President, Atlas Cycles (Haryana) Limited said, “ The expansion will put Atlas Steel Tube Industries in line with the value added CDW Tubes as well as CR Strips for the auto and other allied industries. The company shall be going for forward and backward integration by adding value added CDW mill and a cold rolling mill in the second phase. The present two mills will also be modernized at the new premises.”
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June 5th  - Projects Shenyang Liaoning Province China - Anben Steel Group has started to construct Bayuquan Port steel project.
Approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, Anben Steel Group started to construct a 5-million-ton’s steel project for an amount of 22.6 billion yuan on May 17, which is the largest industrial project in the Liaoning Province approved by the state. The project includes two 3200-cubic-meter blast furnaces, three 250-ton top and bottom blowing converters, two slab continuous casting mills, a wide plate mill, a 1580mm continuous hot rolling mill, a 1450mm pickling and cold rolling mill, a color coating mill and so on. The project will produce high-end hot and cold sheets for shipbuilding, ship deck, bridge, pipeline, auto and home appliance
June 3rd  - Projects Anchorage Alaska - Gas pipeline to Chicago a major engineering undertaking
The proposed pipeline to carry North Slope natural gas to the Midwest would be one of the largest construction projects ever attempted, experts agree. Gov. Frank Murkowski wants the state to buy a 20 percent stake in the project. At a cost of more than $4 billion, it would be the largest purchase in state history. And it would surely one of the most risky. Cost overruns, plunging gas prices, earthquakes -- all kinds of demons could turn the pipe dream into a nightmare.The potential perils -- and profits -- of state ownership are among a universe of pipeline details Revenue Commissioner Bill Corbus plans to lay out for Anchorage residents this weekend at the Egan Center. According to Al Rogers of Independent Project Analysis Inc. in Virginia, anything over $1 billion is a megaproject -- an elephant. The Alaska gas pipeline, by comparison, is a woolly mammoth, he says. The state estimates it would take $21.6 billion to run a buried steel tube from Prudhoe across Canada to Chicago, about 3,640 miles away.
June 3rd  - Projects Baogang China - Baogang to construct a recycling industry economic area
According to the Inner Mongolia Municipality government, Baotou Iron and Steel (Group) Company Ltd (Baogang) depends on the resources such as iron ore and rare earths and so on, constructs a recycling industry economic area by structure reconstruction and industry improving. Relying on the iron mines in Baiyun’ebo area and around, by improving the mining and selecting, melting and rolling and other facilities, Baogang intends to format a product mix on behalf of heavy rail (shape), seamless pipe, plate and sheet, wire (rod) and so on, while keep on developing new steel products in series; by utilizing the resources as rare earths and niobium, the company decides to develop rare earths products and niobium based steels and eventually founded a series products dominated by rare earths compounds, rare earth metals, high pure rare earth and rare earth function materials. It is expected that till 2010, Baogang will construct a low-consuming, high effective and clean modern iron and steel company and recycling industry economic area. Till then, the company is expected to have an annual output of 9.50 million tons of iron, 10.20 million tons of steel, 9.50 million tons of finished steel, and 70,000 tons of rare earth concentrates; and the costs per 10 thousand Yuan production value will decline to below 2.0 tons of standard coal, and the recycling ratio of industrial water will top 97%, and the recycling ratio of industrial solid wastes will reach 99.5%.
June 2nd  - Projects Barcelona Spain - Spanish MMM to set up a tube mill in Romania for auto segment
Barcelona based Spanish maker of auto components Manufactura Moderna de Metales will spend 5 million euros for building a factory in Turda in Cluj County of Romania for the production of steel pipes, stainless steel pipes and aluminium pipes for auto systems. The manufacturing will start in the first quarter of 2007. MMM produces and markets metal pipes for the auto industry.
May 31st  - Projects Chelyabinsk Russia - OMK's Trubodetal to reinvest 2005 earnings
The shareholders of Trubodetal, a pipe couplings maker that is part of United Metallurgical Company (OMK, voted at their annual general meeting last week to waive dividends for 2005 and reinvest last year's net profit of 171.64 million rubles in development of production, the company said. Trubodetal paid dividends of 492 rubles per share for 2004. Trubodetal, one of the largest producers of low-alloyed steel couplings for pipelines with diameter of 57-1420 mm, became part of OMK in 2006.
May 31st  - Projects Jakarta Indonesia - Financing for Sumatra Java pipeline secured
Steel pipe producer PT South East Pipe Industry (SEAPI) said in a press release it had secured a loan commitment US$66 million from RZB Bank and Bank Internasional Indonesia to finance its submarine gas pipeline project between South Sumatra and West Java. SEAPI, a subsidiary of Bakrie & Brothers, will build the project in cooperation with India's Welspun. The partners have won a tender from state gas distributor PT Perusahaan Gas Negara to provide a submarine gas pipeline spanning a distance of 160km across the Sunda straits.
May 30th  - Projects Kachigam India - PSL to set up pipe plant in UAE to save on freight costs
PSL Ltd plans to set up a wholly owned manufacturing and coating unit at Hamriyah Free Trade Zone in the UAE by investing $15 million to save on the freight cost of exporting pipes from India and improve margins on orders from the Middle East. The unit with an initial capacity of 75,000 tonnes per year would be built by the first quarter of 2007. Mr Ashok Punj MD told during an interview "We are getting enquiries from several countries in that region. This plant would cater to markets in Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman." Mr Punj said that the company also planned to expand into North Africa, Bangladesh and Vietnam after the UAE project. Earlier this year the company received a major order from Oman (see news item April 10)
May 27th  - Projects Portland Oregon - Northwest Pipe Company announces $7million Texas order
Northwest Pipe Company reported today that it was named as pipe supplier for the Allen/Plano/Fisco/McKinney Water Transmission Main to supply approximately $7 million of welded steel pipe for the North Texas Municipal Water District. Northwest Pipe has received a verbal commitment from S.J. Louis of Mansfield, Texas, to supply approximately 32,000 feet of 72-inch diameter steel pipe. The pipe is expected to be manufactured in the Company's Saginaw, Texas, division with delivery scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2006.
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May 26th  - Projects Hong Kong - Baosteel & Shaoguan JV for 20 million tonne plant in Guangdong
Beijing based Shaoguan steel Group which is under order to relocate and Bao Shan Steel China's largest steel producers has signed an agreement with the Guangdong's Zhanjiang municipal government to build one of China's largest iron and steel plants. No party involved in the deal has publicly disclosed details of the agreement, including the investment involved and the project's timescale but Ta Kung Pao a Hong Kong based newspaper, quotes a reliable source that the JV will have a registered capital of 20 billion yuan ($2.5 billion), total investment of 140 billion yuan ($17.5 billion) and an initial investment of 70 billion yuan ($8.8 billion). Initial production capacity will be 10 million tons of steel for the automobile and consumer electronic industries. The project will have an annual production capacity of 20 million tons when fully operational. Guangdong's annual production capacity of iron and steel stands at 7 million tons at present, although its annual consumption is 28 million tons.
May 26th  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL awarded US$ 76 million pipe order
PSL Ltd announced Monday it had received orders worth Rs 3.49 billion (US$76.7 million) from Gail and Larsen and Toubro/ECC for the supply of steel pipes. The board has already approved the company's plans to set up a manufacturing plant in Hamriyah Free Trade Zone in Sharjah which would start operations by early 2007. See our report April 12. The company has also recieved a Rs 1.81 billion order from Gail for supplying 164.5 km pipes to Gail, PSL informed the Bombay Stock Exchanges. This is the second successive time the company has received an order from GAIL's gas pipeline tender for its Dahej to Uran Pipeline project. The company had also been awarded a Rs 1.68 billion contract from Larsen and Toubro and Chennai-based ECC for a major water pipeline project.The Japanese funded project entails supply of coated pipes implemented by Kerala Water Authority. The project is estimated to be completed between September to December.
May 24th  - Projects Islamabad - Pakistan, Iran, India to go ahead with gas pipeline
Pakistan, Iran and India vowed on Monday to go ahead with a gigantic project to pipe Iranian natural gas to India through Pakistan despite U.S. opposition. Energy officials of the three countries opened two days of talks to review progress on the $7 billion pipeline project and "expressed satisfaction over its pace." "(They) reiterated the desire of their leadership to implement the project as soon as possible for their mutual benefit," said a statement issued by Pakistan's Petroleum Ministry after the talks which will conclude on Tuesday. The officials discussed financial, legal and technical aspects of the project as well as gas price and the route of the proposed pipeline, it added. The three countries, which hope to sign a final deal in June, have been discussing the project over the last few years but progress has been slow because of hostility between Pakistan and India and more recently U.S. opposition to the project. The United States is trying to discourage both Pakistan and India from doing business with Iran while Tehran remains under suspicion of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Instead, Washington wants them to back another proposed gas pipeline, running from Turkmenistan, through Afghanistan.
May 24th  - Projects South Yarmouth Massachusetts - KeySpan plans new gas pipeline to span 5 Cape Cod towns
More than 13 miles of steel pipe stretching through five Cape towns 5 feet underground - this is what's needed to meet a growing demand for natural gas on Cape Cod, according to KeySpan Energy Delivery New England. And if the first phase of an expected eight-year project is not done by next winter's heating season, KeySpan warns, Cape residents - particularly east of Barnstable - may face problems receiving their natural gas supply. ''The pipeline is necessary to ensure the reliability of the KeySpan distribution system,'' company officials wrote in their application to the Cape Cod Commission.
May 16th  - Projects Doha Qatar - Qatar Petroleum awards Future Pipe supply contract QR627million
Future Pipe Industries Qatar (FPIQ) has bagged an order valued at QR627mn from Qatar Petroleum (QP) to supply fibreglass pipes and fittings to the Common Cooling Water project for the Phase II in Ras Laffan Industrial City. The total project was awarded to Dodsal and FPIQ, a subsidiary of Future Pipe Group, a leading global supplier of pipe system solutions, according to a statement from FPIQ. The project entails seven packages including laying 20km pipeline of diameter 2,450mm, 47km of diameter 3,500mm and 1km of 400mm diameter both above and underground. In view of the magnitude and complexity of the project, FPIQ set up a new division dedicated to serve QP’s needs, it said. Highlighting that it intends to expand its operations to keep pace with the fast pace of growth in Qatar, FPIQ recently hiked its capital base to increase production lines in its facilities.
May 16th  - Projects Dammam, Saudi Arabia - Amiantit wins multi-million dollar contracts in South America
Amiantit Group subsidiary manufacturing companies Amitech Argentina and Amitech Brazil are supplying pipe systems for multi-million dollar water infrastructure projects and irrigation networks in their respective countries. The Argentina order, valued at US$ 6 million, is for 53 kilometers of Flowtite glass reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes to transmit water from a treatment plant in the city of Trelew to Puerto Madryn on the Patagonian Coast. Once a small community founded by Welsh settlers, Puerto Madryn, is a sanctuary for maritime fauna, such as penguins, seals and whales, and has experienced a population explosion since has become a popular tourist destination for whale-watching. In addition, Amitech Argentina is currently supplying pipes to west Buenos Aires and to Neuquen Province. The company is well placed to supply pipes for water infrastructure projects in Santa Fe, La Pampa, Cordoba and Chaco regions and to export to neighboring countries. Total orders in hand at present add up to around US$ 13 million and this amount is expected to grow during the year.
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May 16th  - Projects Beijing China - Bids invited for pipe contract Beijao wastewater treatment plant
Region Jilin Province Bidding Number 0701-0620ITC2X023 Published Date May 11, 2006 Deadline June 12, 2006 Bidding Agency China International Tendering Company Financing Asian Development Bank Bid No. 0701-0620ITC2X023: Nodular cast iron pipes, fittings and valves: Length of Centrifugal Nodular Cast Iron Pipes of DN300-DN1200: 7286m; Centrifugal Nodular Cast Iron Pipe Fittings: 1300 pieces; Valves of Centrifugal Nodular Cast Iron Pipes of DN100-DN1200: 56sets; Length of Steel Pipes of DN800-DN1200: 2350m; Steel Pipe Fittings of DN300-DN1200: 1014pieces; and Main Equipment Materials for Cathodic Protection, etc. . The People's Republic of China has received a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) towards the cost of Jilin Water Supply and Sewerage Development Project Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from China International Tendering Company and inspect the Bidding Document at the address given below, between 9:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:30 (Beijing time) from 2 May 2006 (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). For inspection and purchase of the Bidding Documents: Attention: Mr. Ren Ju No.90, Xisanhuan ZhongLu Room 511, Genertec Plaza Beijing 100055, People's Republic of China Telephone: 010 - 63348281 / 63348569
May 15th  - Projects Mumbai India - Zenith Birla to raise funds for expansion of tube mills
Zenith Birla (India) Ltd, a major ERW steel tube maker in western India has filed its prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India for a secondary public offering of Rs 131 crore. The lead managers to the issue are IDBI Capital Market Ltd and Keynote Corporate Service Ltd Zenith is raising funds primarily to set up additional facilities for manufacture of mechanical tubes for application in auto components sector and also for augmenting the working capital requirements for existing operations.
May 12th  - Projects Mumbai India - SAIL’s Durgapur Steel Plant set to expand wire rod and tube output
Steel Authority of India Ltd is planning a major revamp of its production and marketing strategy, with the aim of increasing the share of value added long products in its product mix. SAIL is putting up new mills at its Durgapur and IISCO plants to increase production of long products, including low diameter bars for the domestic retail segment and earthquake resistant bars for the entire construction segment. SAIL’s director personnel & DSP's officiating MD Mr SK Roongta told a group of reporters "We want to increase the share of our finished products to capture retail and commercial construction markets. Our Durgapur Steel Plant is targeting to increase the share of finished products from the existing 46% to around 97% of the total output by 2011-12. This would be achieved by increasing the output of finished steel." He added that of the Rs 2,800 crore expansions plan of DSP, about Rs 1,300 crore would be spent on setting up new mills for producing finished products like bar and wire rod, medium structural and seamless tubes. While total hot metal capacity of DSP will go up to 3.2 million tonne from the current 2.1 million tonnes by 2011-12, finished products’ capacity of the three new mills will be 2 million tonnes.
May 12th  - Projects Mumbai India - Tata's steel plant won't hamper 'interest of local manufacturers'
The proposed investment by Tata Group in steel sector will in no way hamper the interest of local manufacturers, according to Resident Director of Tata Group S Manzer Hussain, reports UNB. "Tata will produce hot rolled (HR) coils, particularly to support the cold rolled (CR) sheet producers. The local steel manufacturers never manufacture this product… So, Tata will never become their competitor," said S Manzer Hussain in an exclusive interview with the news agency. In a recent press conference, the local producers urged the government not to allow the Tata Group to set up its steel plant for the sake of protecting the local steel industries. But Tata officials totally disagreed with the concerns of the local steel manufacturers. Explaining the project, Manzer said the Tata steel plant, which expects to start production in 2011, will produce hot rolled coil from iron ore as primary raw materials for the local cold rolling mills and tube industries.
May 11th  - Projects Pune India - ISMT starts Rs 250 cr capex project (see also news item March 27)
Pune-based integrated specialized seamless tubes and specialty steel manufacturer, ISMT, has commenced the implementation of its Rs 250 crore expansion project. The company has placed an order for basic PQF Mill from Germany's SMS Meer at a cost of euro 18 million (Rs 100 crore) and the equipment would be delivered in 12-15 months. The company is also upgrading its tube making facilities at Ahmednagar from the present 60,000 TPA to 75,000 TPA. The Ahmednagar & Baramati plants, would thus have an installed capacity of 475,000 TPA. The delivery period has been compressed to 12-14 months enabling the mill to be commissioned by December, 2007. Thus, the last quarter of 2007-08 will, also, have production coming from the new mill and, accordingly, will make a difference to the top-line as well as the bottom-line of the company, Rajiv Goel, chief financial officer of ISMT, said. Simultaneously, ISMT is also expanding alloy steel production from the present 2,50,000 tonne per annum (tpa) to 500,000 tpa in the next two to three years, complementing its increased requirement of steel for tube making.
May 8th  - Projects Alava Spain - Condesa awards factory to house new stainless steel tube equipment
The operation will enable the Alava-based firm to create a major group by adding new factories to the ones it already had, Condesa Fabril, Tumesa and Tubos de Celrá. Basque group Condesa has awarded Construcciones Brues the contract for building a new 16,000 square-metre factory to house its future stainless steel tube manufacturing lines, which is expected to be up and running later this year. The new installation, which could in the future be enlarged to 40,000 square metres, will boast a range of production equipment, including two new high frequency tube shaping lines and a new plate cutting line. Management at Condesa also plan to supplement this equipment with other machinery as the project progresses. This is the second major project the Condesa group has undertaken after taking control of the Arcelor group's tube division in 2004. The operation will enable the Alava-based firm to create a major group by adding new factories to the ones it already had, Condesa Fabril, Tumesa and Tubos de Celrá. The factories Condesa acquired from Arcelor worked under the Arcelor Tubes and Aceralia Tubos divisions.
May 5th  - Projects Oslo Norway - Aker Kvaerner gets Hydro Gulf of Mexico, LLC USD 10 million umbilical contract
According to a company statement, the project will utilize Aker Kvaerner's advanced steel tube umbilical technology and confirms the company's position as the leading supplier of steel tube umbilicals worldwide. Aker Kvaerner Subsea will supply a 19.5 kilometer steel tube carbon fiber enhanced umbilical, including all surface and sub-sea terminations, to tie the deepwater "Q" gas field back to the Independence Hub development located in 2400 meters water depth. Aker Kvaerner is already delivering the first four carbon rod enhanced steel tube umbilicals to the Independence project in 2006 as part of the largest umbilical contract ever awarded.
May 2nd  - Projects Irkutsk Siberia Russia - Construction starts on $11.5-billion Siberia-Pacific oil pipe
Construction work started Friday on the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline, an ambitious project to deliver Russian oil to Asia-Pacific region markets, a local official said. The first few meters of the pipeline - which when completed will be the world's longest at about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) - were welded together at a ceremony in the Irkutsk Region town of Taishet, some 3,100 miles east of Moscow, the official said.He added that 2,000 railway cars had delivered tube sections for the pipeline, being built by state pipeline monopolist Transneft. Work on the pipeline's final route is still ongoing, after President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that it should pass outside the drainage basin north of Lake Baikal, upsetting Transneft's plans to run a section just 800 meters from the lakeshore. The plan had been at the center of controversy and protests by environmental groups, who said Lake Baikal, the world's largest body of fresh water and a Unesco-listed World Heritage Site, could suffer irreparable damage in the event of an accident on the pipeline.
April 25th  - Projects Vancouver British Columbia - Terasen pipeline project looking to expand
One of the longest pipelines in Canada, which runs right under the town of Hinton, could soon be carrying even more oil. The Trans Mountain pipeline, which is operated by Kinder Morgan Canada, formerly known as Terasen Pipelines, consists of 1,150 kilometers of pipe. The company moves crude oil and refined petroleum products from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C. The company’s customers are looking for more oil faster, and, to accommodate that need, Kinder Morgan Canada is proposing to twin a portion of the pipeline. The company currently has an application before the National Energy Board (NEB) to add 78 kilometers of pipe to the line. “We expect to have all decisions, all major permits, in place by the end of this year,” said Philippe Reicher, director of external relations with Kinder Morgan Canada. He added that the company’s customers would like to see additional capacity by 2008. The expansion is proposed to begin about 10 to 13 kilometers east of the Jasper National Park (JNP) boundary, and will head east through the park to Jackman Hill, B.C. “We are responding primarily to increased production in the oil sands,” Reicher said. “Ultimately that new production will have to find a home.
April 24th  - Projects Reading, Berkshire, U.K. - Technip gets pipeline contract from BG Trinidad and Tobago
Technip has been awarded a contract by BG Trinidad and Tobago for the flow lines, risers and umbilicals for the North Coast Marine Area Development offshore Trinidad. The contract includes engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, and pre commissioning of the insulated riser, flowline and umbilical systems that will connect the Eastern Hibiscus and the Chaconia subsea wells to the Hibiscus Platform. The location is twenty five miles northwest of Trinidad in NCMA Block 01 East Hibiscus and Chaconia reservoirs in 500 feet of water. The detailed design engineering will be performed by Technip's operations and engineering center in Houston. The high pressure flexible risers will be manufactured by Flexi France
April 21st  - Projects Houston Texas - Friedman Industries, Inc. announces expansion of Loan Star pipe facility.
Friedman Industries, Incorporated, a Houston-based company engaged in steel processing, pipe manufacturing and steel and pipe distribution, announced this week that it intends to expand its pipe manufacturing operations in Lone Star, Texas, by making certain improvements to its pipe mill which originally began operation in April 2004 (the "#2 mill"). These improvements are expected to increase the #2 mill's productive capacity and capabilities. The Company also announced that it intends to establish a new steel processing and distribution operation in Decatur, Alabama. For that purpose, the Company has entered into agreements pursuant to which it expects to purchase approximately 47 acres in Morgan County, Alabama, near Decatur, at a purchase price of approximately $650,000.
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April 13th  - Projects Shanghai, China - Baosteel orders X ray pipe inspection system for new mill to YXLON
Baoshan Iron & Steel Co has awarded YXLON International a contract for three state of the art X-ray real time inspection systems and two state of the art X-ray film inspection systems. The systems will be used to secure the quality of the pipes produced in the new pipe factory, which Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. is building within its LSAW Pipe Project. The pipes produced will be used for oil and natural gas transportation. At completion in 2007 the total capacity of the new pipe factory is up to 350,000 tons per year. The production facility will be able to handle pipes with 508mm to 1422 mm in diameter and 10 meters to 18.5 meters in length in wall thickness up to 40mm. The pipe inspection systems provided by YXLON International will inspect 100% of the production according API 5l standard. The systems are designed to meet the high capacity requirements and the high demands for superior image quality from Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. YXLON International, with its expertise in worldwide pipe business, has developed a series of pipe inspection systems to meet the high demands of the pipe industry. The YXLON expertise includes inspection methods for all variations in pipe material and sizes up to 3048 mm diameter, 19 meters length and up to 32 tons weight per pipe. The solutions offered include material handling and or interfacing with the material handling systems of all types of pipe mills. YXLON International is an innovative high tech company with a long tradition. Founded in the spring of 1998 as the direct successor to Philips Industrial X-Ray of Germany, Andrex of Denmark and LumenX of USA. Andlinger & Comp Inc is the majority shareholder of YXLON. Through its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, subsidiaries in the USA, Japan and Denmark, two sales offices in China and a tightly meshed network of agents, YXLON International keeps in close contact to its customers worldwide.
April 12th  - Projects Beijing China - Tisco starts work at new stainless steel pipe mill
China’s Taiyuan Steel Works (Tisco) has officially started construction of their RMB800 million stainless steel pipe project. It is expected that the plant will be put into production at the end of next year. The plant will have an estimated production capacity of 50, 000 tons of mid level stainless steel and other alloy large diameter seamless steel pipes. The pipes will be high quality and will mainly be used for petroleum lines, chemical, boiler, power station and nuclear industry lines.
April 12th  - Projects Mumbai India - PSL plans 75000 tonne pipe division in Jaipur
The company already has 12 pipe mills operating in the country. As man as 11 of them have 75,000 tonne per annum capacity. The 12th and biggest mill, based in Kandla, has a capacity of 3,00,000 tonne per annum. With setting up of the new mill, the company’s total capacity will increase to almost 1.2 million tonne per annum. The new mill in Rajasthan will come on time to service the 100 km Bisalpur-Jaipur pipeline project. The unit is also expected to support the company’s operations in northern India. The equipment for the plant will be sourced from PSL’s own manufacturing unit in Daman. PSL already has plans to set up its first fully owned international manufacturing unit in West Asia by the end of this calendar year. West Asia is already a prime market for the company.
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April 10th  - Projects Kandla. India - PSL receives $19 million pipe order from Oman
PSL Limited has bagged an order worth 19 million dollars from Oman for supply of steel pipes. MD Mr Ashok Punj said that the order would be executed from their existing plants in Kandla. Mr Punj also said that their proposed new facility in the Middle East is still on the drawing boards, which is expected to be operational before March 2007.
April 10th  - Projects Mönchengladbach, Germany - Vyksa to increase product spectrum by modernizing tube mill
JSC Vyksa Steel Works of Russia has placed an order for the modernization of the 21” tube welding line with SMS Meer, Mönchengladbach, Germany. The line is predominantly used for the production of oilfield tubular and line pipes in the size range from 8 5/8” up to 21”. The objectives of the modernization are: Expansion of the product spectrum, significant reduction of the mill changeover times, improvement in the product quality with respect to diameter tolerance and ovality and the production of tubular sections. The scope of the SMS Meer order essentially comprises the modernization of the fin pass and sizing stands and the replacement of the squeeze stand. The modernization of the fin pass and sizing stands will create a roll assembly system with quick-changing facility. The new squeeze stand is a five-roll stand with SMS Meer’s URD® design. As with the fin-pass and sizing stands, it will be equipped with motorized adjustments and the Quicksetting system to ensure high precision and reproducibility of the settings. The 21” tube welding line will be equipped with a new QAS system.
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April 7th  - Projects Milan Italy - Padana Tubi orders for tube citing machine from SMS Meer GmbH
Italian tubular section manufacturer Padana Tubi & Profilati Acciaio SpA has placed an order with SMS Meer of Germany for the supply of a traveling tube cut off machine. Within the scope of supply for a new tube welding line by SMS Meer, this new machine is a major step forward in ensuring the production of high-quality tubes on modern lines at Padana Tubi. Commissioning of the new machine is scheduled for 2007.
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April 6th  - Projects Doha Qatar - QIMC studies ambitious local pipe and industrial gas projects
In line with its ambitious local as well as regional expansion plans, the DSM-listed Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMC) is implementing three projects worth QR276mn and studying seven more ventures, it was announced here yesterday. QIMC chairman and managing director Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mohamed bin Jabor al-Thani said projects under implementation include a unit to manufacture paving and kerb stone, manufacturing facility for glass reinforced plastic and glass reinforced epoxy pipes and fittings and a JV firm to produce and supply oxygen and nitrogen gases. Sheikh Abdulrahman said the QR51mn unit to manufacture premium quality paving and kerb stone will be wholly owned by QIMC and commissioned in December. The unit will have sufficient capacity to meet the growing demand arising out of local commercial, industrial, municipal and residential construction activities. The QR60mn manufacturing facility for glass reinforced plastic and glass reinforced epoxy pipes, fittings, storage tanks and other process equipment will be based on cutting edge technology. The QR165mn unit to produce and supply oxygen and nitrogen gases will be a joint venture between Qatar Nitrogen Company, a QIMC affiliate, QP and Air Liquide.
April 5th  - Projects Bombay India - Jindal Saw receives order worth USD 180 m.
Pipe-manufacturer Jindal Saw Ltd., has received a contract worth 180 million USD from Gulf South for supplying more than 250 miles of jointed and coated pipes. "In last two months, our facilities in the US have bagged three orders for high grade pipes. The current order book from US market alone has been to the tune of USD 400 million," Jindal United Steel Corporation and Saw Pipes USA Inc., Vice-Chairman, president and CEO, Indresh Batra, said in a release. The company, that presently has an order book position of nearly 900 million USD, manufactures a diverse product portfolio, which includes saw pipes, seamless tubes and pipes, and ductile iron pipes.
April 3rd  - Projects Karachi Pakistan - Saudi group setting up steel mill in Pakistan.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the Tuwairqi Steel Mills (TSM) was held here at the Bin Qasim on March 29. This was announced by Al-Tuwairqi Group of Companies chairman Dr Hilal Hussain Al-Tuwairqi while addressing a press conference here. He said that the group was in the process of setting up a state-of-the-art steel-making plant over 220 acres at Bin Qasim using the most advanced Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) technology. Dr Hilal announced that in the first phase the one-million-ton per annum DRI plant was scheduled to be completed in 18 to 24 months at a cost of around $130 million. In phase II to be completed by March 2009 with an additional expenditure of $170 million the plant would start making steel billets mainly used in making rebars, wire rods, heavy structures, seamless pipes and other construction materials.
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March 30th  - Projects Beijing China - Plans in place to upgrade China's water supply pipe network
A plan jointly drafted by the Ministry of Construction, the State Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance is urging governments at various levels and water enterprises to increase input of funds in transformation of water supply pipe network in urban areas. According to the document, the funds for transformation of the pipe network will be mainly from local revenue and enterprises, while the central government will give policy guide, subsidies according to local conditions, and support to the work in the western part of the country, and the traditional industrial base in Northeast China. Transformation of water supply network shall strictly follow the procedures of management of capital construction, implement the legal person responsibility system, as well as public bidding, engineering supervision and contract management systems, and use quality pipe materials and fittings and advanced construction technology to ensure quality and efficiency of the construction.
March 28th  - Projects Adelaide South Australia - Plastream has $4m contract in the pipeline
Plastream has broken into the lucrative Dubai market and anticipates an explosion of trade will follow. The manufacturer has sent six containers with about 27 tonnes of equipment to the United Arab Emirates to establish a production line to make pipes from anything between 200mm to 1600mm in diameter. In total, the contract is worth $4 million and represents delivery of the hardware of its first contract since forming less than 18 months ago. A second $4 million contract already has been signed, with several more in the final stages of negotiation. Plastream's customer in UAE - Septech Emirates - provides a wastewater-management service to the public and private sector in the Middle East and is a specialist precast concrete manufacturer.
March 27th  - Projects Moscow/Beijing - Construction of oil pipe line between Russia & China to begin soon
Russian Foreign Minister Mr Sergei Lavrov said that work on a new oil pipeline from Russia to China will begin in the near future. He said that the two countries would conduct a technical feasibility study on the pipeline, which will be a branch of the East Siberia Pacific pipeline. Mr Lavrov said Russia’s oil exports to China will increase sharply after the oil pipeline is put into use. Russian natural gas company Gazprom on Wednesday signed an agreement with the China National Petroleum Corporation on the joint design and construction of the oil pipeline from Russia’s Skovorodino to the border of the two countries. Also on Wednesday, Gazprom signed a MoU with CNPC on the construction of two pipelines that will allow Russia to supply 30 billion to 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China annually. See also news item March 17th - Projects Beijing China - Russia's Putin to discuss Siberian oil pipeline during China visit
March 20th  - Projects New Delhi India - IOC joins hands with STG of Russia for pipeline projects
Indian oil Corporation announced that it has signed a MoU with Russia's Stroytransgaz to pursue pipeline projects in India and abroad. The MoU was signed by IOC Director (Pipelines) Mr AM Uplenchwar and STG's first VP Mr L Bokhanovskiy. The two companies had earlier partnered a consortium with Essar Construction for implementation of the 133 km Braoda-Ahmedabad-Kalol gas pipeline project of Gujarat State Petronet. STG is a leading Russian oil and gas construction company involved in design and construction of pipeline systems, gas and oil storage facilities.
March 20th  - Projects Istanbul Turkey - Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum pipeline to be launched by year end
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan have agreed to launch Baku -Tbilisi-Erzerum pipeline by the end of this year. The announcement was made by Turkish Prime Minister Mr Tayyip Ertogan in the course of a visit to Istanbul by the Georgian Prime Minister Mr Zuran Nogaideli. Mr Ertogan said that delivering gas through the Caspian corridor was the most important task of the Turkmen-Georgian cooperation.
March 20th  - Projects Palo Alto California - $572 million water pipeline project planned.
Water officials plan to spend $572 million to lay 26 miles of new pipes locally, part of which will run under East Palo Alto and Redwood City. These pipes will run parallel to steel pipes 50 to 75 years old owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which oversees the Hetch Hetchy watershed. Utilities officials want to install the pipes to make it easier for workers to periodically shut off sections of local pipeline for planned maintenance. Currently, maintenance workers are able to crawl into the pipes to inspect them from inside four months at a time every five to eight years, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Operations Manager Paul Mazza said after an informational meeting Wednesday in East Palo Alto. As early as 2009, water officials want to begin installing the new pipeline, which will run from under the Fremont hills, the San Francisco Bay, East Palo Alto and Redwood City. The project is expected to take four years to complete. Workers would come onto the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way in East Palo Alto and Redwood City to dig trenches 4 to 10 feet underground and lay pipe 5 feet tall. Trench teams can lay 800 feet of piping in two or three weeks and the utilities commission will work with residents and local officials to be as least intrusive as possible, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission spokeswoman Betsy Lauppe Rhodes said. This will likely be the largest project residents living along the Hetch Hetchy right-of-way will ever see. Hetch Hetchy's pipes locally were built in the 1920s through the 1950s and will likely fail in 20 to 30 years, Mazza said. Utilities workers will eventually lay new pipes inside the existing pipes. Officials will hold an informational meeting on the new pipes tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Redwood City's Veterans Memorial Senior Center at 1455 Madison Ave.
March 18th  - Projects New Delhi India - India wants Russia take part in Iran-Pakistan-India pipe project
India is interested in Russia’s participation in the construction of the Iran-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after talks with his Russian colleague Mikhail Fradkov on Friday. “I hope Russia will be able to find a place in this project,” the Indian Cabinet head stressed. Singh added that Russia possesses big valuable experience in the sphere of building pipelines. India is very interested in the constriction of the new gas pipeline, which will satisfy the country’s demand for hydrocarbons, the Indian prime minister added. Fradkov was quoted by Prime-Tass as saying that Gazprom and Stroitransgaz are already working in India and their cooperation experience can be used in the construction of the new pipeline. “If we get a proposal we will consider it in every detail,” Fradkov noted speaking about Russia’s possible participation in the natural gas pipeline laying.
March 17th  - Projects Beijing China - Russia's Putin to discuss Siberian oil pipeline during China visit
Putin was expected to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao during his March 21-22 trip to kick off the "Year of Russia in China," a celebration of ties between the two sides. Putin will sign a series of agreements and issue a joint statement of cooperation, China's Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui said at a news conference, but did not give any details. Sergei Rasov, the Beijing-based Russian ambassador, said Putin and Hu will discuss a 1.6 million-barrel-per-day pipeline which is to run from eastern Siberia to Russia's Pacific coast. He said oil and natural resources were "a gift from nature and a gift from God, so we must fully use that based on mutual trust and respect. "We hope we can reach some new agreements in terms of energy cooperation during President Putin's visit in China," Rasov said. The line, whose first section is to be completed by 2008, will allow increased oil exports to the energy-hungry markets in China, Japan and South Korea. After Saudi Arabia, Russia is the world's second largest oil exporter. Rasov said Chinese and Russian companies are negotiating laying a pipe from Siberia to a border city in China but didn't elaborate.
March 15th  - Projects Xian China - BSG wins US$ 351 million pipeline contract in India
Baoji Petroleum Steel Pipe Co., Ltd. (BSG) recently won the bidding for a US$351-million pipeline project in India. According to the contract, BSG is to provide some 400,000 tons of SSAW (spiral submerged arc welded) steel pipes for the construction of a 1400-kilometer-long natural gas trunk line in India. BSG starts production of the pipes for the Indian project in March, which is due for completion in February 2007. The direct revenue from the contract will be twice as much as the export earnings of Baoji, a city in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, in 2005, the company speculates. BSG, a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation, is the first spiral submerged arc welded pipe manufacturer in China.
March 11th  - Projects Toronto Canada - Proposed major pipelines in North America could face labor shortage
There is "no way" both the Mackenzie Valley and Alaska natural gas pipelines could be built at the same time, says the industry minister from the Northwest Territories. Brendan Bell told an energy conference in Washington Thursday that even if the pipelines are built years apart, there could still be a huge shortage of skilled labor. "Labor -- or a lack of it -- is a critical issue," said Mr. Bell, the minister of industry, tourism and investment for the NWT. Mr. Bell, who with other Western provincial energy ministers is to meet next month with Alaskan Gov. Frank Murkowski, said he was confident that the once-competing pipelines would be built back to back. "Construction of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline will be long over before Alaska proceeds," he said. Canada's National Energy Board hearings are underway for the 1.2-billion-cubic-foot-a-day Mackenzie Valley pipeline. That pipeline would cost $7-billion and is expected to be completed by 2011. Meanwhile, a tentative deal has been hammered out between the Alaskan government and the three main North Slope producers -- ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc., BP PLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. -- for the US$20-billion Alaska gas pipeline running through Canada
March 9th  - Projects Chennai India - Technocraft plans expansion
Technocraft Industries (India) Ltd has embarked on major expansion, entailing an estimated capital outlay of Rs 70 crore. In the company's tubes division, the company plans to increase the production of scaffoldings as well as a range of new products like props, cup locks, tube locks, tubes for the automobile industry and ring scaffoldings. This will involve an outlay of Rs 21.07 crore. In its drum closure division, the company is upgrading its plant by incorporating next generation technology developed by the company to significantly reduce manufacturing costs. With this technology, the company expects to penetrate into difficult markets like China. The total investment envisaged is Rs 19.58 crore.
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March 6th  - Projects Johannesburg South Africa - Vaal water pipe project will use up 25% of South Africa's pipe making capacity
The urgent water needs of Eskom and Sasol are behind the deadline government has set for the completion of the R2,5bn Vaal water pipeline, according to Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, the bulk water liability management firm running the project. The 121km-steel pipeline will ensure uninterrupted water supply for bulk water users Eskom and Sasol. The pipeline from the Vaal River to Sasol and Eskom operations near Secunda, Mpumalanga, is scheduled to be completed next year. It is expected to provide about 160-million cubic metres of water a year. Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said yesterday that meeting the October 2007 deadline for the completion of the project would be "very challenging". She said the size of the project would "tax" the provision of construction materials because of major investments in infrastructure in the country. Sonjica said the manufacturing of the pipes for the project would use as much as 25% of the country's steel production capacity. "It is in this context that I understand that the achievement of the completion date will be challenging," she said. Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority CE Martie van Rensburg said the water affairs and forestry department set the deadline for the completion of the project because of the water needs of Eskom and Sasol. "We had to make this a priority project," Van Rensburg. Van Rensburg said the firm had finalized all financial agreements with commercial banks, and would sell the water to Eskom and Sasol to repay the banks. The repayments would be over 20 years, he said.
March 3rd  - Projects Jakarta Indonesia - Pertamina and Rekayasa win pipe deals
The body responsible for regulating the downstream oil and gas industry has awarded state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina and state engineering, procurement and construction company PT Rekayasa Industri preferential rights to construct and operate two pipelines connecting the provinces of Java. Pertamina won the tender for the preferential right to build and operate a 390-kilometer pipeline from Gresik in East Java to Semarang, the chairman of the Oil and Gas Downstream Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas), Tubagus Haryono, said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the agency had selected Rekayasa to build and operate the 290-kilometer segment connecting Semarang and Cirebon in West Java, Tubagus said. "The companies have seven working days to confirm their willingness (to undertake the projects) in writing," Tubagus added. The tender winners would be awarded preferential rights to their respective segments, meaning that no other companies would be allowed to build pipelines connecting the same cities. The preferential rights would be valid for 25 years.