ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has become the first steel producer globally to manufacture EQ70-grade welded pipes certified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), marking a significant development for offshore and marine engineering applications.
The company said the high-strength welded pipes were produced at its Hazira plant in Gujarat and are intended for use in critical offshore projects, including oil and gas platforms, offshore wind structures, jack-up rigs, and deepwater pipelines.
Equivalent to API 5L X100Q, the EQ70 grade features a minimum yield strength of 690 MPa and is designed to meet demanding offshore requirements while offering high toughness, weldability, and corrosion resistance. The higher strength enables the use of thinner and lighter pipes without compromising structural performance.
According to AM/NS India, the development provides a domestic alternative to high-strength seamless pipes that are currently imported for specialized offshore applications. The company has already supplied a substantial volume of the welded pipes to a leading Indian oil and gas producer.
The pipes were fabricated from ABS-certified EQ70 plates using submerged arc welding (SAW) technology. Producing ultra-high-strength welded pipes requires maintaining consistent strength and toughness across both the base metal and welded seam while ensuring reliability under harsh operating conditions.
ABS certification independently verifies that the pipes meet internationally recognized requirements for safety, structural integrity, strength, and performance in marine environments, enabling their use in regulated offshore projects worldwide.
AM/NS India is a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, with a crude steel capacity of around 9 mln tons per year. The company produces a diversified range of flat steel products, including value-added grades, and has a pellet capacity of 20 mln tons. It is also developing an 8.2 mln tons per annum integrated steel plant in Andhra Pradesh and is the only integrated steel producer in India to have received the Green Steel Certificate from the Ministry of Steel.
