TPT November 2007

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16 November/December 2007
Industry News
ITALY–Tel: +39(0) 536 851616 – e-mail:
N.C. punching lines
for tubes and profiles
MADE TO MEET EVERY
REQUIREMENT
Interpipe has announced plans to increase
production of seamless pipes for the oil and
gas sector manufactured in accordance
with the API 5L quality standard. This
announcement follows on the heels of a
pipe shipment growth increase of 13.3 per
cent for the first half of 2007, and news of
pre-qualification from a number of leading
oil producers.
To meet the production increases and new
demand, Interpipe will construct a treatment
line for line pipes at the company’s Niko
Tube production facility to the south of its
headquarters in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.
The company will also construct an
additional treatment line at existing Niko
Tube facilities to decrease the loading of
the main line.
Mr Andrey Korotkov, Interpipe director for
production and investments said: “We are
experiencing a great surge in demand for
pipes made in accordance with the API 5L
standard within the oil and gas industry and
in order to meet this increase in business we
need to expand our production capability.
This is a terrific sign of the potential of the
market for Interpipe in oil and gas – and
we intend to maintain and grow our product
lines in this area to support our ongoing
global expansion.”
Italian company Mair Research SpA was
selected as the supplier of equipment
for the project. Mair Research SpA will
provide Interpipe with a double heads linear
hydrotester, a cutting and milling machine,
chamfering machine and packaging
line. Capacity of the new line – due for
completion at the end of 2008 – will be 250
thousand tons per year.
Interpipe’s mills – Interpipe Niko Tube
and Interpipe NTRP – have recently
gained pre-qualification from a number
of leading oil producing companies.
Interpipe Niko Tube has been approved
for inclusion in the Kuwait Oil Company’s
approved list of manufacturers for oil and
gas pipes produced in accordance with
API 5CT.
Interpipe Niko Tube and Interpipe NTRP
have also gained pre-qualification from the
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (UAE)
and been approved for inclusion in the
list of manufacturers for oil and gas pipes
produced in accordance with API 5L.
As part of the prequalification process,
the representatives of KOC and ADNOC
carried out a technical audit and examined
Interpipe’s pipe producing technologies and
quality management system. The auditors
recognised that Interpipe’s products reach
the highest quality standards accepted in
their companies.
Commenting on the pre-qualification
results, Mr Rostyslav Chudnovsky,
director of tubular sales for the oil and
gas industry said, “We are delighted to
become an official supplier of KOC and
ADNOC. This opportunity allows us to
extend our customer base and improve
our sales geography in the Middle East
market.”
Interpipe – Ukraine
Fax: +380 562 389482
Website:
Interpipe to increase API 5L pipe production
to capitalize on pre-qualification success