147km of linepipe delivered on time for desert project

24 Apr 2006

Corus has recently finished the supply of 147km of 18” and 24” linepipe and coatings to the Qsar-Shams Project for Khalda Petroleum Company, Egypt. The project will develop the largest gas field in Egypt’s Western Desert and is also the largest Gas find in the history of the Apache Corporation - Khalda’s American Joint Venture partner with EGPC.

From the start of the project the client made it very clear that the deadlines they were under were very tight and they needed Corus’s help to ensure that the pipe was delivered as early as possible.

Through co-operation between all parties several possibilities to improve delivery were found and through clear and direct discussions the risks and rewards for these changes were shared between Corus and Khalda. For example, Corus flew out the first pipes off the production run to ensure that all weldability trails and welder training was complete prior to first pipe arriving on site. Corus also chartered a smaller ship vessel for the first delivery to ensure pipe arrived in Egypt at the earliest opportunity to allow onshore fabrication to start earlier. The mill worked on a batching principle to ensure that each subsequent vessel contained a mixture of both sizes to ensure that both pipeline lay contractors were kept supplied with pipe throughout the project.

The project was awarded prior to a full route survey being completed and as such there were numerous additions and amendments to the bend requirements for the project. Again through good relationships throughout the supply chain Corus were not only able to adapt to the changing needs of the client but to also keep the cost of the additional bends identical to save the need for the client to amend PO values and get them re-authorised.

The final flexibility of Corus’ production and supply chain was evident when less than a week prior to raw material manufacture the client change the diameter and wall thickness of the final part of the project (40km), Corus not only managed this change but also started and finished this item earlier than planned.