The breakthrough will benefit offshore and engineering customers in India through enhanced supply security, shorter lead times, lower costs, and greater global competitiveness.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has become the first steel company worldwide to produce ultra‑high strength welded EQ70 grade pipes, certified by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). This milestone demonstrates India’s growing capability in advanced steel manufacturing and sets a new benchmark for offshore engineering.
The ABS certification validates compliance with globally recognised strength parameters, confirming the pipes’ suitability for demanding marine engineering projects. EQ70 grade welded pipes, equivalent to API 5L X100Q, deliver a minimum yield strength of 690 megapascals (MPa) with exceptional toughness, enabling thinner, lighter, and more resilient structures for offshore oil & gas platforms, wind installations, and deepwater pipelines.
This innovation supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and Viksit Bharat (Developed India) initiatives by replacing imported seamless pipes from Europe with indigenously produced welded pipes. Offshore and engineering customers in India will benefit from enhanced supply security, shorter lead times, lower costs, and improved competitiveness in global markets.
The company noted that the advancement “reinforces its commitment to steelmaking innovation, supported by the strong technological expertise, R&D capabilities, and global best practices of its parent companies ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel.” AM/NS India has already supplied a substantial quantity of welded pipes to a leading domestic oil and gas producer.
The successful fabrication of EQ70 grade welded pipes using submerged arc welding (SAW) at AM/NS India’s flagship Hazira plant in Gujarat sets new industry standards for safety, sustainability, and cost‑effective production. Producing ultra‑high-strength welded pipes is technically challenging, requiring uniform strength and toughness across both base metal and welded seams while ensuring reliability under extreme offshore conditions.