TPi October 2008

news business & market

New anti-corrosive coating line for oil and gas pipes Steel pipe and railway wheels producer Interpipe, Ukraine, has announced the opening of a new production line at the Interpipe NMPP mill. The new line gives the company the capacity to produce pipes with an external anti-corrosive 3-layer coating for both seamless and welded pipes up to 530mm for oil and gas transportation. Total investment in the project has reached US$8.5 million. The new equipment was supplied by Dutch company Selmers Technology BV, a global supplier of pipe blasting and coating plants and pipe logistics. The line’s production capacity is 400m² per hour, which is claimed to be the maximum line capacity for this type of pipe in Ukraine. The mill can currently produce pipes with an anti-corrosive 3-layer coating according to standards DSTU 4219- 2003, DIN 30670, GOST R, API 5L and ASTM. Aleksey Slyusarev, director of production and investments at Interpipe, commented, “ The issue of quality is a top priority for pipes used in oil and gas transportation. Interpipe’s investment in new production facilities confirms its commitment both to quality and to serving our customers’ needs. Pipes from the new line will meet the highest requirements in terms of reliability and life-span. ” In 2007 Interpipe produced 62% of its pipes for the oil and gas industry, 35% for industrial applications and approximately 3% for mechanical engineering. The company’s production assets are based at three Ukrainian mills in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

Photo – Muller Europe Ltd

Argentinian gasline contract

challenge where the best technological resources will be employed. ”

SocothermAmericasSA,theArgentinean subsidiary of Socotherm SpA, Italy, an expert in the field of pipe coating and insulation for the transport of oil, has been awarded a contract for the offshore project Segundo Cruce del Estrecho de Magallanes, one of the most important gaslines in Argentina. The contract, for a value of around € 10 million, relates to the 3-layer HD polyethylene external anticorrosion coating (Plastikote ® ) and concreteweight coating (Concretkote ® ) of approximately 37km of 42" pipes for the Dicha Gasline (37.3km length) connecting Tierra del Fuego to the continent, and allowing the transportation of further 20 million m 3 /day gas to increase the production of the national gas distribution network. Steel pipes will be manufactured in Brazil by Tenaris-Confab, and coating works will be performed by the Socotherm Brazil plant in Pindamonhangaba (SP). “ This project is of vital importance for Argentina ,” commented Zeno Soave, chairman and CEO of the group, “ since the natural gas availability will grow at least of 20% in the short term. Pipes will be laid offshore Magellan Strait between two lands (Cabo Vírgenes and Tierra del Fuego Island) crossed by difficult waters. For this reason it represents also a huge

During the company’s general meeting, the chairman illustrated the energy market perspectives for the Socotherm Group. Despite the climate of macro- economic uncertainty, the expected growthineconomicactivities,particularly in large economies like China and India, will result in an increase of energy demand and relating infrastructures, with positive perspectives for the group over the next few years. Socotherm offers many types of pipe coating, including external and internal anti-corrosion, concrete weighting and thermal insulation. The group specialises in thermal insulation for the deep water sector (oil extraction from great depths), offering state-of-the-art technological solutions with high added value. Socotherm is also active in the design, production and sale of coatings and insulation plants for piping and district heating, in the sector of special thermal insulation for LPG tanker ships and in the maintenance of road surfaces with ecologically compatible technology. Socotherm SpA – Italy socotherm.corp@socotherm.com www.socotherm.com

Interpipe – Ukraine press-office@interpipe.biz www.interpipe.biz

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Tube Products International October 2008

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