OREANDA-NEWS. On 19 August 2009 was announced, that Vyksa Steel Works (VSW, ), part of United Metallurgical Company (OMK) had shipped more than 200 thousand tonnes of large-diameter pipes (LDP) for the construction of the first line of the subsea gas pipeline Nord Stream since May 2008, when it started supplying its pipes for the project.

The pipes in question are 1,219 mm in diameter with wall thicknesses of 30.9 mm, 34.6 mm, and 41 mm, having external three-layer corrosion-resistant coating and internal friction-reducing coating; they are made of high-quality steel X70 (K60). The certification and quality control procedures are attended by specialists of the customer, Nord Stream AG, and independent experts.

The subsea gas pipeline Nord Stream (1,220 km) will run from Vyborg, Russia, to Greifswald, Germany, and connect Russian gas fields with the EU countries. The capacity of Nord Stream's first line will be 27.5 billion cu m a year, while the second line will increase the capacity up to 55 billion cu m a year.

The agreement for delivery of pipes for the construction of the first line of the gas pipeline was signed between Nord Stream AG and OMK on November 6, 2007. The agreement specifies that in 2008 and until October 2009 VSW is supposed to supply a total of more than 263 thousand tonnes of pipes, which is 25% of the total project requirement.

During 2006-2007, VSW produced LDP designed for subsea pipeline systems in accordance with the standard of Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Norway, and was granted certificates of conformity to the requirements of DNV-OS-F101 and the Nord Stream project specification. OMK became Russia's and CIS's first qualified producer of pipes according to DNV-OS-F101, which is the world's reference standard applied for the installation of oil and gas pipelines of enhanced quality, wear-resisting properties, and endurance on continental shelves throughout the world.

"Through our participation in the Nord Stream project we gained valuable experience, which will surely be useful for achieving new victories in international biddings," said VSW Executive Director Vladimir Kochetkov. "Within a relatively short timeframe, our specialists managed to meet the stringent technical requirements for pipes this contract. At present, VSW is Russia's only manufacturer of LDP for Nord Stream, which is the result of OMK's efforts to modernize our pipe facilities and improve skills of our personnel. ОМК is now participating in the bidding for Nord Stream's Phase 2. We hope to succeed and are ready to start pipe production in March 2010."