TPI July 2024

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The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

July 2024

Photo credit: Vladimir Kramer

Business & market news

Butting achieves major pipe milestone in Brazil’s ultra deepwater fields

Marc Brauße, business unit director clad pipes, said: “Butting is a reliable partner, adept at handling stringent timelines and complex specifications and is committed to fulfilling the tightest tolerance requirements at pipe ends. To this end, extensive innovations and continuous improvements have been implemented in-house in recent years, which have now become the industry standard in the installation of sophisticated subsea pipelines. “Newly developed non-destructive testing methods by Butting have now established themselves on the market and prove compliance with stringent tolerance requirements and the precision of each individual pipe produced at Butting. This has been shown in practice.” By embracing state-of-the-art pipe technology, the producer guarantees a consistent quality where different types of materials meet. “Our commitment to innovation allows us to reliably deliver mechanically lined pipes that meet the highest standards, giving our customers the assurance that their projects are in capable hands,” added Marc Brauße. Mechanically lined pipes are playing a key role in the safe and efficient “India is also set to lead in terms of transmission pipeline length in Asia by 2028, with an expected 29,800km of length additions by 2028. “The pipeline development helps the country to enhance its energy infrastruc ture and meet the growing demand for petroleum from the industrial, domestic and transportation sectors.” Unsurprisingly, gas pipelines are projected to constitute 57 per cent of the total pipeline length additions by 2028. The Jagdishpur–Haldia Phase II is the largest upcoming gas pipeline in the country by 2028, with 1,900km GAIL (India) Ltd is the operator of this project, with operations anticipated to commence by 2024.

Butting has delivered mechanically lined pipes to be installed in Brazil’s ultra deepwater fields. The pipes, also known as BuBi ® pipes, offer longevity and high performance in harsh conditions. Butting has delivered more than 500km of its state-of-the-art mechanically lined BuBi ® pipes to Brazil. The company delivered 290km of mechanically lined pipes for three major projects in 2023 alone. Technip FMC received around 90km of BuBi ® pipes for the Mero 2 project; Subsea 7 obtained a total of around 80km for the Mero 3 project and Saipem added another 115km for the Búzios 7 project to the Butting BuBi ® portfolio of major projects. Butting is involved in four further projects in Brazil, either in production or production planning with a total volume of 300km/45,000 tons of mechanically lined pipes. Uwe Margraf, managing director of Butting Brazil, said: “The market for subsea pipelines and riser pipes can rely on the expertise of our company. Our extensive production capacities ensure projects are delivered on schedule while maintaining the highest standards of quality.” India is set to dominate the number of trunk/transmission pipeline projects that are expected to start operations in Asia during 2024-2028, contributing about 43 per cent of the region’s total projects count by 2028, said GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. GlobalData’s latest report, “New build trunk-transmission pipelines projects by development stage, regions, countries, project type and forecast to 2028,” revealed that out of 62 projects to commence operations by 2028 in India, gas pipeline projects are likely to account for 48.4 per cent, followed by product pipelines and oil pipelines at 40.3 per cent and 11.3 per cent, respectively. Bhargavi Gandham, oil & gas analyst at GlobalData, commented:

Mechanically lined pipes for installation in the Brazilian ultra deepwater fields

exploration of the immense oil & gas reserves of Brazil’s ultra deepwater fields. These fields are located approximately 150 to 300km off the Brazilian Southeast coast. Besides water depths of 2,000 to 3,000m, a further 3,000 to 4,000m of several rock and salt layers must be overcome to reach the oil deposits. This entails high demands on the pressure resistance and tensile strength of the pipelines, which transport the oil from the distributor on the seabed to the surface. In addition, the Brazilian deposits, which lie underneath a layer of salt, contain high levels of carbon dioxide due to their geological formation. Owing to the prevailing conditions of low temperature and high pressure in the so-called pre-salt layer, the carbon dioxide mixes completely with the oil. Hence, all materials in direct contact with the medium to be extracted must meet highest requirements regarding corrosion resistance. Butting www.butting.com Mehsana–Bhatinda is another major gas pipeline project with a length of 1,834km. GSPL India Gasnet Ltd is the operator of this project, which is expected to start operations by 2024. In India, product pipelines are projected to account for 30 per cent of the total additions to transmission pipeline length by 2028. Kandla–Gorakhpur is one of the key upcoming product pipelines in the country, with a length of 2,809km. The project is currently in the construction stage and is anticipated to commence operations this year, with IHB Ltd slated to serve as the operator. GlobalData www.globaldata.com

India is set to lead Asian pipeline transmission projects count until at least 2028

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Business & market news

Asahi/America introduces larger Series 19 actuator sizes for butterfly valves

support of the Italian company SMS SpA, part of the SMS Group and Vesuvius Europe GmbH, both with significant experience in the industrial field. The process involves complete rebuilding of the masonry, using state of-the-art refractory materials, as well as the installation of a new set of SMS RADFlame HY2 radiant burners, a new combustion control system and replacement of the automation level. “SMS RADFlame burners, with the burner type positioned at the top, will ensure uniform, extended flame so that heat is distributed efficiently inside the oven. This hybrid configuration results in significant further reduction of carbon emissions, with the flexibility to operate with hydrogen and natural gas in any percentage in the fuel mixture,’’ an SMS SpA spokesperson said. push buttons, local controls and a QR code for easy and instant access to user manuals. All Asahi/America Series 19 electric actuators have a corrosion resistant NEMA 4X engineered resin enclosure with stainless steel trim to protect the unit’s reversing, brushless DC motor and permanently lubricated steel gear train. The multi-voltage unit operates at a 75 per cent duty cycle for more frequent cycling of the valve. Compatible with most PLCs, the Series 19 is a good choice for OEMs and skid manufacturers where space is at a premium, but power cannot be sacrificed.

Artrom Steel Tubes, which is based in Reșița and Slatina in Romania, has invested more than €6mn in 2024 to optimise measures to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption. It has partnered with a number of established suppliers to the European metalworking industry, which will ensure the re-engineering of certain production processes. “Over the next two years, the metallurgical industry will have to make huge financial efforts to start major technology change projects, despite all the challenges it faces. The European institutions are calling for a shift to zero emission green steel, replacing coal with natural gas and methane gas with hydrogen from green technologies, as well as the re-engineering of steel flows from iron ore and coal. “The European Union has allowed member countries to grant state aid for the modernisation of their companies, but in the absence of this, we have resorted to financial efforts to ensure the acceleration of the decarbonisation processes of our plants,” said Adrian Popescu, chairman of the board of directors of Artrom Steel Tubes. The company has started the process of upgrading the block heating furnace for forming pipes for rolling with the Asahi/America Inc has expanded its Series 19 SAV electric actuation line to include a larger sized actuator, known as the S400, capable of operating on Asahi/ America’s family of 8" and 10" Type-57 butterfly valves. The Series 19 S400 is a part of the SAV Smart Pack ® electric actuator product line and is available as an on/off, failsafe, modulating or modulating failsafe unit. The Series 19 S400 actuators have an output torque range up to 3540"-lbs. They feature all of the same standard features as Series 19 product line including a heater, one set of dry contacts for PLC confirmation and one for alarm reporting, OLED screen with

The Series 19 S400 is a part of the SAV Smart Pack ® electric actuator product line

All Series 19 actuators are CE labelled and compliant and factory mounted and tested to ensure dependable operation. This recent addition of the S400 is the latest update to the Series 19 product portfolio that was originally launched in 2021. Asahi/America www.asahi-america.com

Artrom Steel Tubes invests in technology to accelerate decarbonisation process

The furnace upgrade allows for a reduction in natural gas consumption, which directly influences the reduction of the pipe plant’s carbon footprint. The process also supports the possibility of using hydrogen, which will contribute to climate neutrality. The refurbishment will be completed later this year. Another of the company’s initiatives is aimed at streamlining and decarbonising the production of its own steel used for the manufacture of pipes, as well as significantly reducing production costs related to the manufacturing flow at the Reșița and Slatina plants. Even though the technology currently used by Artrom in this respect allows the recycling of ferrous waste to obtain steel with a low carbon footprint, reducing the environmental impact of this process is considered a priority in the company’s development strategy. To this end, the German supplier Badische Sthal Engeniering, which has contributed to the modernisation of the Reșița steel mill, is carrying out an extensive techno economic study to identify solutions that will form the basis of the company’s future investments in this direction. The project is in line with the terms of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (EU-2001), Goal 1 and 2, on reducing carbon emissions by 25 per cent. Artrom Steel Tubes www.artrom.com

Adrian Popescu, chairman of the board of directors of Artrom Steel Tubes

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July 2024 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL

Business & market news

AMETEK EMC highlights Nitinol laser processing for advanced medical tubes and devices

damage and efficient post-processing, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance. Ultrafast femtosecond laser systems further enhance Nitinol processing and product build. These systems emit ultra-short light pulses, reducing heat transfer and the need for extensive post processing. This technology accelerates production cycles, expediting go-to market of medical device innovations. AMETEK EMC’s Nitinol laser processing services include tailored laser cutting, welding and custom solutions for specific medical applications. The company’s commitment to continuous learning ensures it stays at the forefront of technology, providing comprehensive solutions for the medical device market. AMETEK Engineered Medical Components www.ametekemc.com

AMETEK

Engineered

Medical

Components, designs innovative solutions for medical device components, has highlighted Nitinol laser processing’s importance in enhancing patient treatment options. Nitinol’s properties of super-elasticity, shape memory and biocompatibility are crucial for various medical applications, including self-expanding stents, surgical tools and drug delivery systems. Its shape memory allows for deformation at lower temperatures and subsequent return to its original shape, facilitating minimally invasive procedures, enabling faster patient recovery time. The precision of laser processing technology is vital for manufacturing intricate medical devices. AMETEK EMC’s Laserage offers over 25 years of expertise in Nitinol laser processing to meet the most stringent performance requirements. Laser cutting and welding provide high precision, minimal thermal which

The precision of laser processing technology is vital for manufacturing intricate medical devices

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Business & market news

Innovative Borealis celebrates 30 th anniversary Borealis is commemorating its 30 th year of operation. Born of a merger between Statoil and Neste, Borealis has expanded from its early Nordic roots to become one of the world’s top ten polyolefins players and driver of industry change. Its dedication to value creation through innovation has produced proprietary and transformative technologies, which benefit society and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. European Patent Index and holds an extensive patent portfolio of around 8,900 granted patents. In Europe in particular, Borealis has for decades bolstered the industrial landscape by investing heavily in its capital assets, and by providing thousands of highly skilled jobs in the communities in which it operates.

prowess to become a global industry player,” said Thomas Gangl, Borealis CEO. “Industry is the bedrock of societal prosperity. For three decades, Borealis has helped accelerate progress and raise living standards by creating value through innovation. As we drive the industry transformation to a circular economy of plastics, and continue to reinvent the essentials for sustainable living, we will keep investing in our people, assets and our communities.” Borealis www.borealisgroup.com

“On the occasion of our 30 th birthday, we at Borealis are exceedingly proud of how we have built on our European heritage, along with our technological

The company is regularly ranked as Austria’s top innovator in the

TechnipFMC awarded subsea contract by BP for Gulf of Mexico pipeline project

schedule to extend the production in the Mad Dog field.” Under the contract, TechnipFMC will also manufacture and install pipeline end terminations. TechnipFMC www.technipfmc.com

Jonathan Landes, president, subsea at TechnipFMC, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with BP, underpinned by close collaboration. “This partnership, combined with our robust installation and execution capabilities, enables us to meet BP’s

TechnipFMC has been awarded a significant contract by BP for its Argos Southwest Extension project in the Mad Dog field. TechnipFMC will install pipe and an umbilical, tying back three new wells to the Argos platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Business & market news

BPF Pipes Group ‘future industry group’ focuses on pipe skills

Mr Grills said: “FIG is a young industry group and we want to support and revitalise the whole industry by improving knowledge and understanding of regulations, standards and issues within the group as well as outside it. We hope to bring a fresh perspective to existing industry issues that people care about – skills, sustainability and future projects are all part of this – and we look forward to being able to share our ideas with others.” Other FIG plans include providing support to the BPF Pipes Group Technical Groups, which cover pressure systems including water and gas, non pressure systems for drains, sewers and surface water, systems for soil, waste and rainwater and systems for water supply and heating for buildings. Pipes networks provide some of the world’s most essential infrastructures for potable water and sanitation and a key focus of the BPF Pipes Group is in raising standards across all construction

New chair of the BPF Pipes Group’s ‘future industry group’ (FIG) Paul Grills has set out plans for 2024, which include improving the skills of those within and outside the pipes industry. FIG comprises people new to the industry and in a variety of roles. Part of the 2024 plans include inviting key speakers to provide detail on topics such as the European plastic pipes industry, construction products regulations and how the new building regulations may change. Other plans include developing a factsheet on PVC, designed to answer common industry questions and provide clarity on areas where people may have concerns, promotional work on the correct types of pipes to install and guides for builders’ merchants and contractors on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The latter will help show what to look for in an EPD and how to compare one with another, so should help improve understanding of EPDs.

Improving skills within and outside the industry are a key focus of the Future Industry Group

sectors and improving installation skills, including those within future heating and cooling networks using renewable energy. Mr Grills added: “The plastic pipes industry has a lot to offer the future of construction and encouraging those new to the pipes industry to play an active role and bring fresh ideas will be good for the delivery of sustainable solutions in plastic pipes and fittings generally.” BPF Pipes Group www.bpfpipesgroup.com

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A time of transition for chemical pipelines as ecological requirements change By Messe Düsseldorf

pressure handling and high purity of the final product.” The chemical industry without stainless steel pipes is unimaginable. Bimetallic pipes are often also utilised in chemical plants. They can comprise a stainless steel outer pipe and a zirconium inner pipe liner. Pipes, which are produced with these materials, have one thing in common, they withstand corrosive chemicals. Production losses as well as plant downtimes and pipeline failures are prevented by using suitable materials. Therefore, “pipeline systems are essential for the safe transport of water, chemicals and gases”, emphasised GF Piping Systems. Hydrogen as an energy source To maintain its competitiveness, the chemical industry urgently needs hydrogen – as a raw material, because it is the initial point for important chemical value chains. And also as an energy source. For the transport of the booming material, a suitable infrastructure is necessary, which in turn requires numerous pipes. An advantage of using pipelines: they are “the safest, most environmentally friendly and most reliable means of transport,” explained the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI). That is why the chemical industry has long relied on pipelines. In addition to the safe and environmentally friendly supply of chemical locations, a well-developed pipeline network is an important building block for the transformation of the industry towards greenhouse gas neutrality, according to VCI.

Industry in transition “The production processes of the chemical industry are currently altering rapidly,” explained the Fraunhofer Institute IGB. In doing so, the chemical industry must also survive threatening scenarios, such as the EU Commission’s threat to ban PFAS, which have been criticised for their long durability and harmfulness to the environment. However, there are considerable concerns about such a ban, including from the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI). They stated: “The broad regulation for entire groups of substances, irrespective of the actual risk of the individual substances, is not appropriate from the industry’s point of view.” The consequence of a ban would be significant restrictions on the production of plastic pipes and plastic lined steel pipes. Plastic pipes are required by the chemical industry: according to the BDI, PFAS are “always utilised in many industries when extreme framework conditions such as high or low temperatures, high frictional resistances or aggressive chemical conditions require them in their applications.” Eliminating several thousand PFAS could mean, however, that “many urgently needed applications could no longer be produced in the EU, as there are currently no suitable alternatives.” A problem would arise for the manufacture of pipes and pipework systems for the chemical industry. Stainless steels Stainless steels are also often utilised in the chemical industry. For example, Outokumpu provides solutions which “reflect the industry’s requirements for performance in extreme temperatures, highly corrosive environments, high In addition to the impending perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) ban, stricter environmental regulations and energy prices are consistently challenging the chemical industry. New pipelines for the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, as well as raw material, are therefore becoming significantly more important. This is because they logistically support chemical companies to fulfil ecological requirements. With their quality pipes and pipework systems, manufacturers are proving their ability to reliably ensure the chemistry is always correct.

An Evonik project manager shows the German federal minister of labour and social affairs, Hubertus Heil, the basis of the Lipid Launch Facility, which contain PFAS-containing seals as well as pipe parts that are cladded with them, which are indispensable for the safe operation of the plant of the speciality chemicals company Source: Evonik

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“They can be utilised to execute the transport process for materials such as hydrogen, they can be used to temporarily store energy and they play an important role in the recycling of CO 2 as part of so-called carbon capture and usage or storage projects (CCU/S). Pipelines contribute to a safe and reliable supply of raw materials in times of insufficient rail freight capacity and seasonal transport restrictions on the waterways (low water of the Rhine),” explained the VCI. Investments in pipelines The chemical industry relies on pipeline networks: an important lifeline of the Ruhr Metropolis is the PRG propylene pipeline as a pipeline network. The PRG propylene pipeline creates the backbone of propylene chemistry in the Ruhr Metropolis, emphasises PRG Propylenepipeline Ruhr GmbH & Co KG. Propylene is delivered via this system because it has not been produced in sufficient quantity in the region for years. Additional, ongoing construction of pipelines is an important task for the present and future of the chemical industry, for which pipe production is therefore essential. Ten companies – including BASF, Borealis, BP, Dow, Evonik and the Port of Rotterdam – have signed an agreement on cross-border pipeline development in the trilateral region. It is a cooperation for the chemical industry in Flanders, the Netherlands, and North Rhine-Westphalia (“Trilogue”), in which the annual turnover is €180bn and more than 350,000 members of staff are currently employed. “Pipelines are the ‘lifelines’ of the trilateral chemical cluster; as the cleanest and safest mode of transport, their importance for the competitiveness of the industry will continue to grow,” emphasises the German Association VCI. Once again, numerous pipes are required for implementing these pipelines. A new 140km-long hydrogen pipeline will connect Germany and Denmark. From 2027 onwards, H 2 is to flow from the island of Bornholm to Lubmin. “This cross-border hydrogen infrastructure is intended to drive the development of offshore wind energy in the region and throughout the

Baltic Sea,” explained the hydrogen grid operator Gascade. In addition, it indicates a cost-efficient decarbonisation path for the north-east European energy system. In addition to the direct connection between Germany and Denmark, there are considerations, according to Gascade, to manufacture the interconnector with a future Baltic Sea backbone towards Sweden and Finland. Pipes enable progress With the increased use of hydrogen as an energy source, which has been made possible by underlying pipeline logistics, the chemical industry is in a win-win situation: this is because it can thereby strengthen its international competitiveness against the background of stricter environmental requirements and with a view to rising energy prices. However, if renewable raw materials or biogenic residues are increasingly utilised as starting materials, then “processes, plants, material recipes, process parameters or methods for quality control and safety assessment usually also have to be adapted, which also has an impact on upstream and downstream industries,” Fraunhofer IGB explained. Without the pipe industry, the transition will not be therefore feasible: it will develop into an enabler of the progress of the chemical industry. AquaDuctus could be the first German offshore hydrogen pipeline and is intended to transport green hydrogen from the North Sea directly to the mainland. If the generation plants are fully expanded to their capacity, then AquaDuctus will transport up to one million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2035, thereby contributing to the decarbonisation of energy demand in Germany and Europe Source: Gascade

Presentation of the future integrated water electrolysis at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen, which will be built in cooperation with Siemens Energy. The plant, the so-called Hy4Chem EI project, will have an annual capacity of up to 8,000 tons of hydrogen Source: Siemens Energy

Messe Düsseldorf www.tube.de

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