ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products produces a wide range of steel plates including grades with the most demanding qualities for offshore applications in the energy sector. With the ongoing improvements at ArcelorMittal Gijón, Spain, our offer to the offshore wind and oil gas markets is set to expand with new feasibilities and the development of new grades. ArcelorMittal’s service level to customers and product development cycles will also improve thanks to a closer partnership between ArcelorMittal Projects Energy, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, and Global R&D.

ArcelorMittal's goal

ArcelorMittal’s goal is to offer the most comprehensive range of plates for the offshore energy market. The steel plates we produce are typically utilised in the sub-sea and visible parts of offshore wind turbines and in oil and gas platforms.

Plate offer meets global standards

The offshore plate grades produced by ArcelorMittal meet all relevant European (EN10225) and North American (API2W) standards. They are already utilised by leading manufacturers of offshore wind and oil and gas infrastructure. These facilities are operated by major energy producers around the world.

Two of the most common grades used in these segments are S355 M/ML and S355 G10+M in thicknesses ranging from 40 to 70 mm. The ‘M’ in the grade name indicates that the steel has been thermo-mechanically rolled. The process changes the properties of the steel and makes it suitable for use in applications where high strength and excellent toughness at low temperatures are required. That includes a variety of offshore applications such as the topsides of oil and gas platforms, offshore wind substations, and the subsea ‘jackets’ which serve as foundations for offshore structures.

One of the key features of ArcelorMittal’s offshore plate offer is its enhanced weldability. This ensures the steel can be welded without affecting its high strength or excellent toughness.

Investments expanding feasibilities

Investments are ongoing in Gijón to expand ArcelorMittal’s offer for offshore energy. The goal is to produce grades for offshore applications in thicknesses over 50 mm. Improvements have already begun and some of the new feasibilities are expected to become available during 2020.

On the service side, ArcelorMittal has established a working group including representatives from ArcelorMittal Projects, Flat Products, and Global R&D. The group aims to qualify ArcelorMittal’s plate mills with more of the world’s major wind energy and oil and gas producers. Another task for the group will be to gain welding prequalification for our thicker plates in accordance with European (EN10225 and NORSOK M-120) and American (API RP2Z) standards. As the group works closely with customers through co-engineering projects, it also recommends topics for research and development to anticipate future market requirements and meet new customer needs.

Research and development for offshore applications is carried out by the ArcelorMittal Global R&D Centre in Ghent, Belgium. The R&D Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and facilities including a five-wire submerged arc welder, heavy-duty fatigue setups, and unique metal processing equipment. This enables ArcelorMittal to test plates, tubes, and pipes to support new product development. ArcelorMittal Global R&D Ghent also provides technical assistance to ArcelorMittal’s customers through co-engineering projects on topics such as lightweight design, fatigue improvement, and optimisation of welding processes. The research centre is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region.

New products in development

A key concern for offshore customers is corrosion. ArcelorMittal Global R&D is constantly developing new products which make offshore structures lighter, and reduce operational costs by improving corrosion resistance. To ensure their suitability for marine applications, these steels typically undergo field trials in harsh, real-world environments.

About ArcelorMittal Projects Energy

ArcelorMittal Projects Energy has a global network of offices to support customers wherever their projects are located. It acts as a one-stop shop for energy customers who are developing energy projects for wind and oil and gas.

ArcelorMittal Projects Energy can leverage all parts of the ArcelorMittal group to source products from different segments. The group also has specialty stocks of steel strategically located near major offshore oil and gas and wind energy production areas. That enables ArcelorMittal Projects Energy to provide a complete and customised range of steel solutions and services. They include dedicated project management and prefabrication almost anywhere in the world.

More info: ds.arcelormittal.com/projects

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Photos: ArcelorMittal, curraheeshutter/Shutterstock.com, F. Schmidt/Shutterstock.com

Belgian sculptor William Roobrouck celebrates his passion for Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products in a new exhibition on Belgium’s coast. Titled Buitenbeeld (Out of view), the exhibition was staged on the roof of the Knokke Cultural Centre on Belgium’s coast in early 2019. Here he tells us about his inspiration for ‘Division’, the largest sculpture in the exhibition.

'Division'

"Division is based on the lives of three brothers who are all friends of mine. Although they share a common DNA and upbringing, the views of the brothers have diverged as they have grown older.

As the divisions between them have become larger, their viewpoints on life have become increasingly diverse. This is reflected in the use of Indaten®, a steel that will ensure each face weathers differently over time – as the brothers have done.

But they still share a connection – the starting point of the sculpture.

The three faces in Division are unique, like the three brothers they represent.

In the future, I'd like to bring the brothers together and take a picture with each of them standing under their own steel profile, backs to each other. I secretly hope that I can see them through this moment and bring the sculpture another step closer to life."

'Proud' gets a permanent home

William Roobrouck is renowned for his striking steel sculptures which are often realised in Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. One of his recent works, 'Proud', has been purchased by the city of Knokke and will be positioned in a large roundabout in the spring of 2019.

To give residents an idea of how Proud will look in its new location, William Roobrouck prepared a scale model of the sculpture. It was also displayed during the Buitenbeeld exhibition in the Knokke Cultural Centre.

About Indaten®

Indaten® is a structural steel with excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion thanks to its protective and adhesive patina which evolves with time and the effects of the environment. Over time, the steel surface develops a beautiful purplish brown patina which acts as a protective armour for the steel.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products & Constructalia
Photos: William Roobrouck

The global oil and gas industry places some of the most stringent requirements on steel to ensure the long-term safety and security of energy networks. Nowhere are these requirements higher than in the United States. That’s why Borusan Mannesmann, a leading supplier to the industry, turned to ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products when they required steel for a new pipeline project in Texas. The 1.75 billion USD project will transport up to 56 million cubic metres (1.98 billion cubic feet) of natural gas daily from the Texas oilfields to the Atlantic coast.

Strict limits and parameters met

The project called for a high-quality steel grade commonly used in the oil and gas industry, API 5L X70 PSL 2. However, the end customer requested specific changes to the steel’s chemistry to improve weldability onsite. Strict limits were also placed on the mechanical and chemical properties of the steel, and new test requirements were specified to ensure these parameters were met.

“It was one of the most stringent steel specifications we have ever received for our large diameter pipes,” says Zafer Atabey, general manager of Borusan Mannesmann. “Thanks to its expertise and strong knowhow in steel, ArcelorMittal has been always a reliable partner in our oil and gas projects, so we naturally turned to them.”

Following the steel, every step of the way

Due to the high technical specifications for the steel, the Borusan Mannesmann team were allowed to follow the production of the steel at ArcelorMittal Bremen, Germany. “ArcelorMittal’s technical team played a significant role in ensuring the quality of the steel, and they did that with great transparency and effort,” says Zafer Atabey. “Our feedback was received very positively and triggered technical cooperation and synergies between Borusan Mannesmann and ArcelorMittal. This ensured that the production and delivery of the steel concluded on time, and with required level of quality.”

Once the steel was produced, it was shipped to the Borusan Mannesmann plant at Gemlik in Turkey. There, the 15.24 mm thick steel was formed into 42’’ spirally welded pipes in one of the world’s most advanced production lines for this type of oil and gas pipe. The pipes were then coated internally and externally to the project’s high standards before being delivered to the port of Corpus Christi in the United States.

Strong and trustworthy partnership

Despite the imposition of tariffs on steel by the United States government, the contract with Borusan went ahead due to the pipeline’s strategic importance. “There is a distinct lack of local suppliers who could meet the timeline given the quality constraints and the quantity of pipes required,” says Zafer Atabey. “The project owner decided to move forward with Borusan Mannesmann, whatever the conditions.”

For Zafer Atabey, the success of this project is likely to result in further cooperation between ArcelorMittal and Borusan Mannesmann: “Working with a strong and trustworthy supplier such as ArcelorMittal is crucial because of their excellence in terms of timing and quality. ArcelorMittal met our expectations perfectly throughout the project and we will continue that success by cooperating on upcoming projects.”

About Borusan Mannesmann

Borusan Mannesmann has over 60 years of experience providing high added value products to a range of industries including energy and water transportation, construction, and engineering. The company produces both large and small pipe diameter solutions to meet customer requirements.

Thanks to the high quality of its pipes, Borusan Mannesmann is the only Turkish manufacturer of spiral pipes authorised to supply the North American oil and gas pipeline market.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications

Photos: Borusan Mannesmann