Gazprom and leading Russian pipe companies sign updated scientific and technical cooperation programs
RELEASE
Release
Updated scientific and technical cooperation programs through 2020 were signed today by Gazprom and leading Russian pipe producers, namely United Metallurgical Company (OMK), Severstal, TMK, and Chelyabinsk Pipe Rolling Plant (ChelPipe), at the 6th St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.
The documents were signed by Oleg Aksyutin, Member of the Management Committee, Head of Department of Gazprom, Vladimir Markin, President of OMK, Dmitry Goroshkov, Marketing and Sales Director of the Severstal Russian Steel Division, Alexander Shiryaev, Director General of TMK, and Alexander Grubman, Director General of ChelPipe, in the presence of Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee.
Oleg Aksyutin and Vladimir Markin signing scientific and technical cooperation program
Oleg Aksyutin and Alexander Shiryaev signing scientific and technical cooperation program
The updated programs contain a supplemented list of activities directed toward supplying Gazprom with new types of pipe products. Some of those activities are aimed at expanding the range of new pipes, widening the spectrum of applications for steel and insulation materials, and developing a cold bending technology for highly-deformable pipes.
Background
In December 2014, Gazprom and Russia’s leading pipe producers signed the 2015–2020 Scientific and Technical Cooperation Programs. The documents defined the priority areas of cooperation in the development and production of new types of pipe products and other equipment for Gazprom.
The scientific and technical cooperation programs will allow Gazprom to improve the efficiency of constructing and operating gas production, transmission and processing facilities and replace imported materials with domestic equivalents. The pipe manufacturers will expand the range and enhance the competitiveness of their products.
Under these programs Gazprom provides organizational and consulting support, while the pipe producers arrange the relevant innovation, R&D and engineering activities.
Gazprom has been interacting with pipe companies under scientific and technical cooperation programs since 2000. Thanks to this form of cooperation, Gazprom has almost achieved full import substitution for pipe products.