Tata to supply steel for pipe bundles

Offshore staff

HARTLEPOOL, UK -- Subsea 7 has awarded Tata Steel contracts valued at around $32 million to provide 43 km (26.7 mi) of pipe for three North Sea pipeline installation projects.

These include BP’s Andrew Area and Apache’s Bacchus developments.

Tata’s Hartlepool plant will supply about 17,000 metric tons (18,739 tons) of steel to Subsea 7’s pipeline bundle fabrication site in Wick, northern Scotland.

The 84-in. (2.13-m) pipe mill at Hartlepool will manufacture the large OD double submerged-arc welded (DSAW) carrier pipe for the bundles.

Close control during the three roll bend manufacture process ensures pipe is supplied to tight OD and wall thickness tolerances, Tata says, providing accurate control over the final weight of the carrier pipe and bundle system.

The manufacturer will also supply small OD diameter sleeve pipe, produced in its high frequency induction 20-in. (51-cm) mill. This process allows for tight control over dimensional tolerances, apparently critical to the bundle’s overall weight for tow-out and installation.

Tata will produce 27-m (88-ft) lengths of pipe, manufactured from three 9-m (29 ½-ft) lengths girth welded together, with a glass flake epoxy coating.

All loads will be transported by rail and road from Hartlepool to Subsea 7’s pipeline bundle fabrication site at Wick.

05/25/2011