TPT July 2010

I ndustry N ews

Stopaq’s tape can help protect thousands of miles of pipeline from corrosion

Stopaq in running for big order following successful completion of China project

STOPAQBV, producer of patented systems that stop and repel corrosion, is in the running to protect 9,102km of gas pipeline from Korla (Xinjiang) to Shanghai against corrosion. This opportunity follows the successful field welding and pipeline repair applications of the Moda Pipeline project, a 970km pipeline running from Beijing to Russia. Earlier this month CCTV2, China’s biggest TV station with 700 million viewers a day, broadcast a news story about the project completed by the Dutch company. There have since also been reports in Thailand and the Czech Republic about the company that is based in the Northern Netherlands. The new project, which starts a two-hour drive from Korla, a town in the province of Xinjiang in Western China, is being put out

to tender by the Chinese oil company West- East Gas Pipeline Company, a division of PetroChina. The project is situated in a desert-like region that has lengthy rainy periods each year. The current 40" pipeline, with a length of 9,102km, has been in use since October 2004, but the corrosion prevention systems employed at that time are not sufficiently effective for the field welds. Various European and Chinese providers will likely be bidding for the project against Stopaq. Frits Doddema, the company’s CEO, received the invitation to participate in the tender personally last week in China: “Stopaq has a very successful track record in China. There is sharply rising demand for our globally patented technology in the areas of corrosion prevention and acute corrosion rehabilitation. Our experiences in

China have been exceptionally good, and we are even considering manufacturing locally. We see this invitation also as a tribute to our unique and patented production technology, developed in our R&D departments in Stadskanaal and Damman, where Stopaq also has a location to serve the growing market in the Middle East.” Doddema is optimistic about the com- pany’s chances of being awarded the new Chinese order: “PetroChina is looking for the latest and best technology. We are a modest company in the North of the Netherlands, but we are the only company in this field that guarantees its products for 30 years.” Stopaq BV – The Netherlands Fax: +31 599 696177 single-strand rolling mill comprising a roughing train with six stands and multi- pass intermediate stands of HL design and H/V arrangement. An eight-stand finishing block in V arrangement and two further stands can be retrofitted. SMS Meer – Germany Fax: +49 211 881 4386 Email: thilo.sagermann@sms-group.com Website: www.sms-meer.com Email: info@stopaq.com Website: www.stopaq.com

High-speed bar mill built in Syria

AN INTERNATIONAL Company for steel rolling (ICSR) in Hassia, Syria, has successfully commissioned a bar mill supplied by SMS Meer, Germany. Surface-quenched rebars will be produced on this mill at a speed of up to 36 m/s in the delivery section. The bar mill is designed for the production of rebar

with low and medium carbon content and an annual output of 300,000 tons in the dimensions of 8 to 40mm round. SMS Meer supplied the complete rolling mill, including the electrical equipment and automation system. The pusher-type furnace for heating the square billets supplies a continuous

6

J uly 2010

www.read-tpt.com

›