August 22, 2008

TMK launches production of seamless pipes for jack up rigs in arctic environment

TMK announced that it is the first in Russia to launch industrial production of premium seamless pipes used in floating drilling rigs designed for Gazprom’s arctic shelf development projects. As per the announcement, TMK’s Volzhsky Pipe Plant mastered the unique technology of seamless pipe production of special steel PCF 40W, used in shipbuilding.

The release said that “New TMK’s products passed certification tests, evidencing that seamless pipes produced of PCF 40W steel exhibit higher cold-resistance and can be used in the construction of special elements in jack up rigs that are directly exposed to dynamic ice loads.”

At present TMK’s premium pipes are already used in the construction of “Arcticheskaya 100” jack up rig, designed for operation in the Barents Sea.

Mr Konstantin Semerikov CEO of TMK said “Being interested in promoting its long term partnership with Gazprom, TMK offers unique high tech products and intends to develop innovation and technological elements of its pipe business to provide solutions to the most challenging tasks related to the development of the artic continental shelf fields.”

Gazprom is now actively exploring oil and gas potential of the arctic water areas of the Barents, the Kara, the Okhotsk and the Pecherskoye Seas. In particular, it is starting implementation of its large scale project of Stockman gas field development.