In order to analyze the geology and to look for new deposits, the drilling rigs are used to drill holes between 800 and 6000 meters deep in the subsoil, from wells of gas, water or oil, as well as exploration drilling. Flanges are a key element in joining processes and extraction ducts in drilling rigs, and they are manufactured from stainless steel billets.
At Acerinox Europa the process of melting raw materials to obtain slabs and billets of stainless steel takes place from four phases. First phase includes selection and collection of raw materials, mainly ferrous and stainless steel scrap, and different ferroalloys. Then the raw materials are melted in an electric arc furnace. Next the molten steel is poured into the transfer ladle in the direction of the AOD converter, Argon Oxygen Decarburization, where the decarburizing and refining operations of stainless steels are carried out. Finally the liquid steel goes to solid state, producing two types of materials: slabs and billets. The section of these billets is 200 x 200 mm, which allows the manufacture of a wide range of flanges by forging processes.
Ulma Piping manufactures flanges that will be used in the oil sector among others, starting with stainless steel billets manufactured by Acerinox Europa and supplied by Inoxidables de Euskadi.
