Tenaris’s seamless pipe mill in Japan has received certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to produce ABS steel grade EQ70 (equivalent to API X100) for bracing pipes used in jackup rigs. ABS is one of the world’s leading marine and offshore classification societies, which sets industry standards for safe, reliable and high-performance operations. The certification from ABS, which also recently certified Tenaris’s mill in Dalmine, Italy, reinforces Tenaris’s competitive position in the growing offshore structural market.
With more than 100 years of manufacturing experience in the steel industry, NKKTubes is known for its reliability, innovation and high-quality products. The mill, in Kawasaki City, Japan, has an annual production capacity of 260,000 tons of seamless pipe. “Thanks to this certification, Tenaris products are even more competitive in the high-strength steel market, which is increasing due to the need for stronger, lighter pipe in deep-water operations”, said NKKTubes Product Engineer Takeshi Kuwano.
Certification for the Japanese mill is part of a long-term strategy to consolidate and differentiate Tenaris’s commercial products in Asia, where Tenaris is currently a local supplier for oil and gas and industrial applications. For this reason, Tenaris’s product development and quality management departments are in talks with ABS about future certification projects for its other seamless pipe manufacturing facilities, such as its mill in Romania.
