TPi May 2015

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May 2015 Tube Products International 47
OCTG & pipel ine products
One million tonnes of pipeline for
North Sea projects
Tata Steel, Europe’s second largest steel
producer, has celebrated the supply of
one million tonnes of pipeline for oil and
gas projects in the North Sea.
Henrik Adam, chief commercial officer
of Tata Steel in Europe, gave the
opening address at a special event in
Aberdeen, UK, in which he highlighted
the company’s key achievements in
the North Sea, including 88 projects
completed in conjunction with 28
customers.
The event included presentations from
Tata Steel representatives and guest
speakers, who examined the challenges
facing North Sea operators.
Richard Broughton, commercial
manager of Tata Steel exploration
and production, said, “Tata Steel has
been providing solutions to the North
Sea market for more than 21 years,
culminating in one million tonnes and
four million metres of welded pipe. In
excess of half a million metres has been
installed using reel lay construction
methods. Over this period we are also
proud to have invested over a quarter
of a billion pounds in subcontracts for
North Sea projects.
“It was fantastic to celebrate these
achievements with our valued customers
and partners in Aberdeen and also
introduce our latest welded subsea,
umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF)
offering.” The latest solution from
Tata Steel is claimed to offer superior
dimensional control in comparison
to traditional seamless pipe. The
innovation also provides benefits that
include reduced structural integrity risk
and faster installation time.
Speakers from Subsea 7, Wood Group
Kenny and Shell
took the opportunity
to discuss how they
have successfully
collaborated with
Tata Steel in the last
21 years.
Clients emphasised
the solutions that
have been devel-
oped through long-
standing relation-
ships with many companies working in
the North Sea.
Tata has steel-making facilities in the
UK and Netherlands, and manufacturing
plants across Europe. The company
supplies products and services
to demanding markets, including
construction, automotive, packaging,
rail, lifting and excavating, energy and
power and aerospace.
Tata Steel – UK
Steel pipe manufacturing
Bender-Ferndorf produces around
120,000 tons of pipes per annum in
various diameters, wall thicknesses and
lengths. Worldwide delivery is ensured
through modern logistics.
Spirally welded pipes produced by
Bender-Ferndorf are ‘round by nature’
throughout their whole length, not
needing any re-calibration, due to the
specific processing.
The most important fields of application
are oil and gas pipelines and gas
storage; water pipelines; piles and
construction pipes; dredging and
scouring pipes; and pipes for long-
distance heating utility companies.
The company’s pipes are coated in
customer-specific ways on request,
either as external coating with
polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP),
fibre cement and GPR coating, or as
internal lining with cement mortar and
epoxy resin coating. Other coating
methods are also available.
The basic pipe product is supplemented
by numerous system components such
as fittings, end finishes and customer-
specific steel attachments.
In cooperation with shipping partners,
Bender-Ferndorf offers a logistic chain
right to the stacking at the construction
site that is pinpointed and on-schedule.
External diameters range from 508
to 1,828.8mm; wall thicknesses from
6 to 25.4mm; and lengths from 6 to
36m.
Steel grades are used from P235/API
Gr B to L555MB/X80.
The pipes pass automated testing and
checking stations throughout the whole
production phase, including ultrasonic
checking, water pressure test, X-ray,
and visual final check, as well as
spectral analyses.
DWT tests are available at the request
of the customer.
Since December 2012 the company
has provided material testing in its own
accredited quality laboratory.
Bender-Ferndorf Rohr GmbH –
Germany
Henrik Adam at the event