Corus Tubes starts manufacture of Statoil's first HFI pipeline

Citation

(2003), "Corus Tubes starts manufacture of Statoil's first HFI pipeline", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 50 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2003.12850aab.018

Corus Tubes starts manufacture of Statoil's first HFI pipeline

Corus Tubes starts manufacture of Statoil’s first HFI pipeline

Keywords: Tubing, Welding, Pipelines

Last August Corus Tubes started manufacturing Statoil’s first Frequency Induction welded pipeline at its Hartlepool 20 in. mill. Norwegian oil company Statoil awarded its first contract for the supply of HFI pipe to Corus Tubes Energy Business in January 2002. Corus will manufacture 80 km of high frequency induction welded (HFI) pipe for Statoil’s Kvitebjørn project off the coast of Norway.

Because of the tight dimensional tolerances and cost effective manufacturing processes achieved with Corus Tubes’ HFI products, Statoil expects a reduced welding time on the pipelay vessel and pipelay rate both making a significant positive contribution to the overall pipeline cost.

“Although this is the first HFI pipeline for Statoil, this project underlines Corus Tubes’ continued success in the production of quality HFI pipe since the early 1990s. We have now supplied nearly 750 km of HFI line pipe to a range of major clients such as Phillips Petroleum BP, Shell and Saipem including many technically challenged projects,” says Russell Codling, Corus Tubes’ offshore Sales Manager.

The pipeline will export oil from the Kvitebjørn field and connect to an existing subsea Y located on the Troll Oil Pipeline II. This new line has been designed to operate at an elevated temperature and in order to match the bore of the Troll pipeline tee, the new 90 km line is sized at a non standard 385 mm internal diameter.

In addition to the 80 km HFI section, Corus Tubes is manufacturing a further 13 km of thick wall Submerged Arc Welded (SAW) pipe at the same bore size. The ability to economically produce this constant bore has been achieved through Corus Tubes’ flexible manufacturing capabilities at Hartlepool in the UK. Between the Hartlepool 20 in. HFI and 42 in. SAW pipe mills Corus is able to offer a comprehensive range of pipe products.

Corus Tubes is one of the world’s producers of HFI welded steel pipeline. The pipe mill claims the world’s powerful induction welding equipment, and is able to produce a wide range of products for both the energy and construction sectors. All of the steel coiled plate, used to produce HFI pipe, is manufactured within Corus under the strictest control. The steel for the Kvitebjørn project is produced in Teeside, and rolled into coil at Corus’ Port Talbot works in South Wales. The steel production processes within Corus have undergone substantial development over many years and as well as being able to produce high quality, high strength steels can also produce hydrogen induced cracking (IUC) resistant steels.

The Energy Business of Corus Tubes specializes in Project Managed Pipeline supply. Corus Tubes offers a total line pipe package solution, which can include pipe-in-pipe, technical and design support and full project management. The company will co-ordinate material procurement, pipe management, bend and spool fabrication, corrosion coating, qualification testing and delivery logistics.

Details available from: Corus Tubes, Tel: +44 (0) 1536 402121; Fax: +44 (0) 1536 404004.