TPi October 2008

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8 Tube Products International October 2008
newsbusiness & market
Photo – Muller Europe Ltd
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
m3/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
challenge where the best technological
resources will be employed. ”
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
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.
Interpipe – Ukraine
Argentinian gasline contract