OAO “TMK” (TMK) today announces that the installation of a new large-diameter longitudinal welded pipe mill is underway at its Volzhsky subsidiary.

The new 650,000 tonne mill will produce longitudinal welded pipes of X80 grade with diameters ranging from 530mm to 1420mm and wall thickness of up to 42mm. Interior smooth coating and exterior anticorrosion coating capacities will be added to this mill.

These pipes are used in long distance oil and gas pipelines including offshore pipelines, oil field pipelines, general purpose pipelines, and in the construction of heating systems and nuclear power stations.

TMK contracted HAEUSLER AG of Switzerland, one of the world’s biggest producers of welded pipe production equipment, to supply the new pipe mill for the production of large-diameter longitudinal welded pipes.  The mill will include bending, welding, and finishing stations.  Azovinteks Design and Construction LLC will install the equipment and production of large-diameter longitudinal welded pipes is expected to start in Q3 2008.

The pipe mill will utilise Haeusler’s leading edge roll bending technology as it ensures high productivity and high quality production characteristics.

Following commissioning, Volzhsky’s large-diameter welded pipe capacity will amount to 1.2 million tonnes per annum.