Shougang Jingtang recently completed the shipment of X65MS sour-resistant pipeline heavy steel plates. These plates, after being formed into pipes by a prominent Indian manufacturer, will be used to build the gas transmission lines of Margham, the largest gas field project in Dubai.

Sour-resistant pipeline steel is specifically engineered for the construction of pipelines that transport crude oil and natural gas containing corrosive acidic elements. These products have exceedingly high performance indicators in resisting acid gas corrosion along with exceptionally stringent requirements for inclusion control. Their manufacture presents significant challenges in smelting and microstructure control, and the rolling processes diverge fundamentally from those used for regular pipeline steel. Currently, only a few large steel enterprises within China are capable of the full-scale serial production of this specialized material.

To seize market opportunities, Shougang Jingtang and Shougang International keep accelerating product upgrades and mix optimization, developing and expanding marketing channels for pipeline steel, and offering specialized bespoke services to end-users. This supply was facilitated through an EVI (early vendor involvement) model. Responding directly to the customer’s needs, Shougang Jingtang worked with the Shougang Technology Institute to deliver a comprehensive solution through targeted technical innovation. The X65MS sour-resistant pipeline steel demonstrates a highly favorable combination of strength and toughness, low susceptibility to cold cracking, excellent weldability, and robust resistance to hydrogen sulfide and stress corrosion. The order specified exceedingly narrow process control tolerances for X65MS, resulting in considerable manufacturing challenges. To fulfill the order, the collaborative and highly-efficient R&D efforts involved Shougang Jingtang’s manufacturing division, heavy plate division, steel rolling division, quality control department, sales management department, and technology center, alongside the Shougang Technology Institute, Beijing Shougang’s marketing center, and Shougang International. They developed a new composition, implemented several production contingency plans to ensure control over deleterious elements and the internal quality of steel slabs during the steelmaking process, optimized the rolling models, and carried out meticulous maintenance to achieve superior performance and surface quality across the wide range of product specifications.

Extensive testing confirmed that the material successfully passed the stringent SSC and HIC tests, which are critical indicators of resistance to acid gas corrosion. All performance parameters met the named standards, satisfying both the demands of the international pipeline market and the customer’s specific needs, marking a significant breakthrough for Shougang in the anti-sour pipeline steel domain. The timely delivery of X65MS sour-resistant pipeline steel to Dubai while fulfilling stringent requirements has fostered the customer’s trust and represents a further incursion into the overseas pipeline market, bolstering the prominence of the Shougang brand in the international market.