Hebei, China-based Xinyuantai Steel Pipe Group has announced that it has successfully completed the construction of two steel pipe production lines which produce large diameter (LD) X100 spiral submerged arc steel pipes, with diameters reaching up to 1,820 mm.
In February 2010, Xinyuantai Steel Pipe announced its intention to build four world-class steel pipe production lines in cooperation with domestic steelmaker Shougang Steel Group with a total investment of RMB 1.008 billion ($155 million). Construction and trial tests on the first two lines have now been completed, while the other two lines are expected to be put into production by July. After the completion of the four lines, the company will produce 450,000 mt per year of spiral steel pipe of 219 mm-1,820 mm in diameters and 4.4 mm-25.4 mm in wall thickness.
Up to now, major Chinese projects such as the west-east gas transmission project have relied on overseas producers for supplies of X100 spiral submerged arc steel pipes. With the successful domestic development of production of this product, China will no longer depend on foreign suppliers.