Completing the circle Corinth Pipeworks

COMPLETING THE CIRCLE

Corinth Pipeworks of Greece is a market leader in the manufacture of large-diameter, welded steel pipes for the oil and gas industry. With its latest major investment in a new JCOE® pipe mill, Corinth Pipeworks is now completing its range of advanced products and manufacturing techniques for large-diameter steel pipes. Philip Yorke reports.

Corinth Pipeworks SA began its operations in 1969 just north of Athens and steadily grew into a successful global operator. Today Corinth manufactures medium and large-diameter steel pipes that are used to transmit oil, natural gas and water. The company also manufactures hollow structural sections for the construction industry. The main Corinth Pipeworks production plant operates in the industrial area of Thisvi, Viotia and is widely acknowledged as one of the leading state-of-the-art steel pipe manufacturing plants in the world.

Corinth’s ultra-modern plant was constructed in 2002 and the facilities include two large production units, two exterior coating units and one internal lining unit. As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of large diameter pipes, and with its advanced manufacturing capabilities, Corinth Pipeworks is positioned to capitalise on the world’s booming oil and gas industry.

Within the industrial area of Thisvi, where the Corinth plant is located, there is a modern port equipped with dock and port cranes, fork-lifts and other cargo loading and handling machinery. The unrestricted use of the port guarantees Corinth Pipeworks reduced delivery times for raw materials and the despatch of its final products. This is in addition to providing lower delivery and storage costs for its international customers.

Today, the company’s plant at Thisvi produces a diverse range of steel welded pipes including pipeline pipes, casing pipes, hollow structural circular sections and square or rectangular steel grades. The plant is fully certified to ISO9001 and ISO 14001, and a health and safety management system is in place that is certified according to OHSAS 18001: 2007.

As part of the global Sidenor Group, Corinth Pipeworks has its own privately owned port and since 2015 Sidenor has integrated the operations of its pipe-manufacturing sites

in order to ensure the transfer of know-how and specialised expertise and to improve the utilisation of its commercial network.

Expanding product range

In 2013 Corinth Pipeworks SA signed a memorandum of understanding with the leading German manufacturer of pipeline manufacturing equipment: SMS Meer. This was for the supply of a new pipe mill that will have a capability of producing natural gas and oil transmission pipes with external diameters ranging from 18” to 56” and with wall thicknesses of up to 40mm. These large diameter steel pipes will also be produced in lengths up to 18.3 metres and with steel grades up to X100 using the advanced LSAW/JCOE production technique.

In making this significant investment, Corinth Pipeworks will expand its product range and be positioned to capitalise on the increasing demand for high-strength pipes used in the offshore and onshore natural gas and oil industry. These new, heavy-duty products meet strict quality criteria and their inclusion in the company’s product range will provide Corinth with a unique and unparalleled product portfolio. The company’s latest large-diameter pipes are destined to satisfy the growing markets in the Mediterranean region, Gulf of Mexico. Latin America, West Africa and the North Sea.

The all-new JCOE plant will be fully operational early in 2015 and will be producing Longitudinal Submerged-Arc Welded (LSAW) pipes with outside diameters ranging from 18 inches to 56 inches with an annual capacity of more than 4000,000 tonnes. These heavyduty, large diameter pipes are designed to be used by customers to facilitate future energysupply projects across the world. With the unique JCOE® forming process an openseam tube is produced and subsequently welded in one simple process.

Integrated expertise

Today the company’s strong position in the market place is enhanced by its integrated manufacturing facilities and in-depth expertise. The Corinth Pipeworks facility occupies a total area of more than 49.6 hectares, almost 10 hectares of which are devoted to covered production space. This flagship facility has a workforce of around 600 people and a production capability approaching 850,000 tonnes per year.

Corinth Pipewroks initially operated two facilities, in Thisvi and Corinth, before moving production from the company’s historical home at Corinth to its new base in Thisvi. Since its commissioning, the plant has been manufacturing HFIW and SSAW pipes to the highest standards. It also produces the widest range of hollow sections in Europe, with customers able to choose from sections with an outside diameter of 180mm X 180mm, and up to 500mm X 500mm. In addition, the Corinth Pipeworks SSAW sawmill is able to produce pipes from 610mm to 2.5 metres.

Corinth is also unique in that it has its own in-house coating facilities, and these meet all the requirements and regulations in terms of both internal and external coatings, thus making it a one-stop shop for the energy industry. n

For further details of Corinth Pipeworks latest innovative products and services visit: www.cpw.gr