OREANDA-NEWS. November 10, 2010. Within the framework of the OJSC MMK’s qualification for participation in development of the Shtokman field MMK hosted the delegation of the representatives of the companies, which are implementing the project.

In the course of a one-day visit the representatives of the companies Saipem, Samsung Heavy Industries and Shtokman Development AG headed by Mr. Olivier Fromentin, Chief Engineer of Saipem, paid a visit to MMK’s shops, learned the peculiarities of production and technical capabilities of MMK for manufacture of flat and long products which could be used for implementation of the Stokman project.

The delegation visited Rolling Shop No 9 which houses the unique 5,000 mm Plate Mill, the Long Products Shop, the Laboratory for physical - mechanical and micrographic testing of long products and plate and took part in a meeting with MMK’s specialists. The guests showed interest in both the production aspects of MMK’s operation – designing, engineering, software tolls used, plant conditions and capacities, technologies etc. – and in management aspect – quality management system, policies for occupational safety and environmental protection, commercial and organizational issues. The dominating issue of the meeting was discussion of a possibility for MMK’s products to comply with the conditions and requirements of the Shtokman project including manufacture of rolled products with the strength index of up to 420 and thickness of up to 50 mm capable to withstand the extreme temperatures of up 60? C below zero.

The guests saw for themselves the high production and technical potential of MMK and made arrangements for further actions for qualification of OJSC MMK for participation in the Shtokman project. Previously the news agencies with reference to Andrey Startsev, Head of the department for involvement of Russian suppliers and contractors of Shtokman Development AG, informed that the construction of the coastal part of the facilities for supply of gas via pipeline from the Stokman field will be done by the Russian contractors only. The coastal facilities will include gas treatment plant, stabilization unit and transfer pipeline. According to Mr. Startsev the plate for manufacture of pipes is planned to be supplied by Russian companies, including Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works where the 5,000 mm Plate Mill has been put on stream.

In July 2009 OJSC MMK launched 5,000 mm Plate Mill with the capacity of 1.5 mtpy, designed mainly for production of the high-quality plates for production of large diameter pipes (LDP). Construction of the Mill was carried out in cooperation with SMS Demag, internationally renowned German machine-building concern having extensive experience and significant achievements in development of the heavy plate rolling technologies. The design of MMK’s 5,000 mm Plate Mill provides for production of practically every type of heavy-gauge steel pursuant to the stringent requirements to large diameter pipes set out by Gazprom and Transnef: wall thickness of up to 50 mm and strength characteristics of up to X120. Technological capabilities of the Mill allow to manufacture products for construction of off-shore platforms operating in severe conditions of the Arctic Region, for bridge building, boiler building and shipbuilding, including tankers, Russian Navy vessels and modern ice-rated vessels.

The Shtokman gas and condensate field is one of the largest deposits in the world. It lies in the central part of the Russian sector of the Barents Sea shelf, 600 kilometers north-east of the city of Murmansk, The field’s established reserves (2006) make up 3.7 trillion cubic meters of gas and 56 million tons of gas condensate. The field was named after the Soviet scientist-oceanologist V.B. Shtokman.