thyssenkrupp has announced that it will provide quality flat steel and logistics for a 440 km liquid gas pipeline running the length of Texas, the second biggest state in the USA, from Baden to Mont Belvieu. 44,000 tons of hot wide strip in grade X70 steel is required for the construction of the pipeline. The steel is a micro-alloyed fine-grain grade with a yield strength of 485 MPa.

Given the extreme environmental conditions along the pipeline route, the steel must meet very high standards. It must also be able to withstand high operating pressure as well as high mechanical stress. "Worldwide," according to Joerg Paffrath, Head of Sales Industries at ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe, "there are very few producers who can satisfy the specifications of high-grade pipeline steel. We are pleased that this project enables us to emphasize our presence on the American market for high-performance pipeline steels." Wolfgang Schnittker, Head of the thyssenkrupp Mannex Group, adds: "This is the advantage of our diversified industrial group. While the hot strip is produced by thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, we on our part, have taken over the entire logistics for on-time delivery."

The hot wide strip was delivered to the Borusan Mannesmann line pipe mill in Turkey. As the exclusive pipe supplier to the Texan pipeline project, Borusan is producing spiral-weld pipes in lengths of 24.5 m for the first time. The finishing stages in the USA are scheduled for 2016.