Oman Observer reported that Gulf International Pipe Industry LLC is currently in its final stages of commissioning at its Sohar site. With state of the art production facilities, GIPI intends to address the region’s ever increasing need for high quality carbon steel pipes for oil, gas, petrochemical and similar industries.

As per report, tests are under way on raw steel materials recently received by GIPI from South Korea as completion of machinery installation nears.

Mr Masoud al Barwani deputy CEO and project director of GIPI said that the ongoing trial testing of raw materials supplied by South Korea’s Pohang Iron and Steel Company is a testament that GIPI is progressing on schedule and the objective is to meet the target of full commercial production towards the last quarter of 2009. POSCO is one of the world’s largest steel makers.

Mr Hamdan al Shaqsy MD and CEO of GIPI said that “Product quality is paramount. All foreign sourced steel used as our raw material undergo rigorous testing regimen and analysis. As an Omani industry manufacturing export grade products for the oil and gas sector we aim to be globally competitive but quality and reliability is where it all starts. The mill seeks to reduce the Sultanate’s dependency on imports of steel pipes and similar products.”

The shareholders of GIPI are Oman Investment Corporation, Golden Dunes Investments, Gulf Investment Corporation, POSCO Steel Services and Sales Company and Arkan Group LLC.

Expected annual output of the Sohar based mill is 250,000 tonnes of pipes and casings. GIPI will likewise provide threading and coupling services for oil country tubular goods and a pipe anti corrosion coating line.

(Sourced from Oman Observer)