OREANDA-NEWS. February 8, 2008. OAO “TMK” (TMK) plans to double its production of premium threaded tubing, casing and drill pipes to 24,000 tonnes in 2008. TMK Premium Service, a division of OAO TMK, focuses on strengthening the Company’s position in both domestic and international markets in this high-tech segment. From 5,500 tonnes of premium connections in 2003, production grew to 12,000 tonnes in 2007 and current orders to TMK Premium Service are already exceeding 24,000 tonnes in 2008. TMK Premium Service won the tender covering deliveries of casing pipes to Rosneft and concluded a supply contract with Gazprom to provide the gas company with high performance pipes.

In order to meet the rising global demand for premium threaded oil and gas pipes, new threading lines are planned at TMK’s Taganrog, Volzhsky and Sinarsky pipe plants, effectively increasing the company’s annual premium threading capacity to 130,000 tonnes by 2010.

TMK Premium Service offers a range of patented connections, developed by TMK R&D specialists and designed for onshore and offshore exploration, appraisal, and production drilling in challenging environments.

“We keep improving our market share in the high performance pipe segment with the aim of becoming a specialised manufacturer and supplier of premium threaded pipes and connections used in the oil and gas industry”, said CEO, Konstantin Semerikov.

As planned, TMK announces the termination of its activities with Hydril Company LP and operations in the CJSC “TMK-Hydril” JV. This joint venture had not started operating and its windup follows significant changes in the Hydril Company LP shareholder structure.