ISO Structural Steel Suppliers Must Have Broad Knowledge

Much is required of structural steel, whether it is hidden inside the structure of a building or exposed to the weather. Structural steel suppliers have to have a keen understanding of structural steel coatings, the right tools for applying it, and strong quality control procedures. For example, coating systems used in today's bridges are quite sophisticated, incorporating zinc primers to protect from corrosion, plus top coats to add further protection and give the desired color or finish type.

Structural Steel Fireproofing

Although structural steel isn't combustible, in the event of a fire, sustained high temperatures can seriously damage non-protected steel, which loses about half its load-carrying capacity once temperatures approach 1100 degrees Fahrenheit. Fireproofing encases steel and provides insulation in order to keep steel temperature lower than the temperature that would compromise design strength. Fireproofing products for structural steel are tested in accordance with the ASTM E119 (UL 263) testing standard.

Exploration Pipeline and Corrosion

In the petroleum exploration industry, resistance to corrosion is extremely important. Steel pipe used in exploration pipelines may have one of a variety of protective coatings internally and externally in order to withstand harsh chemical environments and prolong the life of the pipe. Your exploration pipeline supplier should be conversant in the products used in corrosive environments so there are no misunderstandings about your order.

Drag-Reducing Internal Coatings              

The compressor stations along gas pipelines are primarily used to overcome friction between the gas and the wall of the pipeline. But today, internal coating is more widely used, and these coatings are specifically designed to reduce drag and cut the costs due to compressor station operation. These coatings also cut down on compressor station maintenance.

Technical and Logistics Expertise Are Paramount

Not only should your exploration pipeline supplier or supplier of steel for other purposes be well-versed in the technical demands of your industry, they must have the expertise necessary to deliver your products when you want them, even if they must cross international boundaries to get there. With more industries shifting to a "just in time" inventory program, the steel supplier with the logistics and technical expertise is the one to choose.

Welded vs. Seamless API Pipe

API pipe and tubing is mostly used for conveying oil, gas, and water. Tubular products may be welded or seamless, and each type has advantages and disadvantages. Welded tubing starts with a hot or cold rolled coil. Cold-rolled steel provides tighter tolerances and good mechanical properties. The steel coil is cut to precise widths and formed into tubing by forming and welding, and also sizing and cutting processes. Different types of welding may be used, with laser welding having the best reputation for meeting purity requirements.

How Seamless Pipe Is Made

Seamless pipe starts with a metal bar. It is pierced, extruded, or gun-drilled to create pipe. Piercing is used with stainless steel alloys with less than 12% chromium. Extrusion, which forces the bar over a mandrel and through a die is the most common method of making seamless pipe. Gun-drilling is more expensive, but many believe it creates a higher quality pipe. With gun-drilling the bar is fed over a stationary flute drill and is rotated throughout, producing superior straightness and concentricity.

Availability and Cost

API 5L pipe is widely used, and may be either seamless or welded. Seamless API 5L pipe is more expensive. With seamless hot-rolled pipe, the number of available alloys is limited, whereas with welded pipe, a wider variety of materials may be used. There is generally a wider variety of welded pipe readily available, whereas seamless pipe may have to be ordered.

Surface Options

With seamless pipe, surface condition is determined by hot forming. An "orange skin" surface is produced with hot forming, and this texture must be grinded away, raising the cost. Welded pipes may be made from raw materials with many different surface types. Further refinement of the surface of welded pipes may be done with processes like grinding as well.

Tolerances

For hot rolled seamless pipe, wall thickness tolerance is 12.5%, as specified by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). However, with hot rolled seamless pipe, the cross-section may not be perfectly symmetrical. Generally, with steel plate or coil that is even, the seamless or welded pipe created will have consistent tolerance throughout the entire pipe.

The Steel Tubing Distributor and Your Supply Chain

Steel tubing is specified by its outside diameter, unlike steel piping, which is specified by its inside diameter. Steel tubing is used in a huge range of industries, from processing industries, to structural industries and even consumer products. Round and square tubing are used in structural applications, for structures like catwalks and platforms, for transport of liquids or gas, and for products like vehicle exhaust systems.

Process Industries and Steel Tubing Demand

Process industries include pharmaceuticals, biotech, dairy, chemical, food, and beverages. Water treatment facilities are also process facilities that depend on access to a steel tubing distributor for construction, expansion, and repair needs. Stainless steel alloys offer the process industries resistance to corrosion, chemical and thermal stability, and cost effectiveness. The steel distributor plays a critical role in building these industries and keeping them productive.

The Steel Distributor over the Next Five Years

Despite experiencing fluctuations in demand up through 2010 or 2011, steel distribution is expected to see increased demand over the next few years. Sustained construction growth and increased exploration for petroleum products are main contributors to this growth. Revenues in the steel distribution sector are expected to experience annual growth of around 1.8% per year through 2017.

Upstream and Downstream Steel Tubing Demands

Steel tubing demand comes from a variety of upstream and downstream industries, and is affected by rig counts in the oil and gas industries, construction of gas and water transmission lines, and general economic conditions. Suppliers are learning the best ways to replenish inventories, as well as how to make better forecasts of demand so as to meet it without creating huge inventory backlogs.

Factors Affecting Steel Tubing Costs

The costs associated with steel tubing distribution are affected by numerous factors. The cost of the steel itself is influential, as are labor costs and the costs associated with electricity and natural gas used by the steel tubing manufacturing industry. The steel distribution industry is seeing a trend toward just-in-time inventory systems as steel tubing consumers demand this type of inventory method. International markets and import and export competition is also a factor expected to affect steel suppliers over the next decade.

No Room for Errors with Oilfield Drill Pipe

Did you know that nearly 1700 years ago, oil wells of up to 800 feet deep were drilled in China using drill bits attached to bamboo? In the late 16th century, Persian oil wells were dug by hand to depths of up to 115 feet. Drill pipe in one form or another has been around for a very long time. Fortunately, today's drill pipe complies with international standards so that it gets the job done efficiently and maximizes crew safety.

ASTM Standards in the Petroleum Industry

In 1921, ASTM D 86, a method for distilling petroleum products at atmospheric pressure was approved, and this standard became one of the most-used ASTM standards ever. ASTM D 86 is considered one of the fundamental building blocks of standardization in the petroleum industry. ASTM steel pipe used in the petroleum industry has to conform to strict standards as well, preserving standardization and meeting safety and design standards.

ASTM A53 Steel Pipe

Tubing and pipe complying with ASTM A53 are used in oil and gas drilling. ASTM steel pipe is used in all aspects of the petroleum industry, including exploration drilling, oil production, and transport of gas, oil, water, and natural gas in numerous challenging environments. As drilling operations become more remote, ASTM pipe assures project managers that their steel pipe will stand up to whatever Mother Nature dishes out.

What Drill Pipe Does

Drill pipe is tubular steel conduit. The ends of drill pipe are outfitted with distinct threaded ends that are called tool joints. Drill pipe is what connects the surface equipment of a drilling rig to the bottomhole assembly and the drilling bit. Drill pipe pumps drilling fluid to the bit, and is used to raise, lower, or rotate the bit and bottomhole assembly.

You and Your Oilfield Drill Pipe Supplier

You don't have time to educate your steel pipe supplier on what you need and why you need it. Choose an oilfield drill pipe supplier that is conversant in ASTM standards and that has both the mill network and worldwide transport network to deliver your products to you on time.

Steel Pipe Supplier Is Critical in Numerous Industries

Steel pipe is most commonly associated with the petroleum industry. Drill pipe assemblies use steel pipe, and once the production phase of an oil or gas project is underway, pipeline supplied by a steel pipe supplier is used to transport the product to refineries. Success of petroleum drilling and transport projects depends heavily on the quality of the products made by the steel tubing manufacturer.

Oil and Gas Transport

Oil and gas transport and steel pipe have long been closely associated. Pipelines require significant up-front investment, but when petroleum products have to travel long distances over the long term, pipeline transport is the best type of transport. While rail or truck transport works well over shorter distances, and can be used while a pipeline is under construction, pipeline transport is the gold standard for long term, long distance transportation of petroleum products.

Infrastructure

Bridges, runways, seawalls, and highways are just some of the infrastructure projects that depend on steel tubing manufacturers to come through with products that meet standards and arrive on time. Structural steel, steel pipe, or both are widely used in infrastructure projects. Suppliers of these products must have knowledge of how infrastructure is built, and they must have the transportation and logistics in place to meet demand and schedule.

Commercial and Industrial Development

Structural steel used in commercial construction comes in a range of sizes and cross sections. Architects and contractors depend upon structural steel for skyscrapers, parking garages, manufacturing plants, and other industrial applications due to structural steel's safety, strength, and versatility. If you're in charge of a development project, you don't have time to educate your steel supplier on what cross sections you need, or which standards it must conform to. That's why it's always best to trust experienced structural steel suppliers.

Food Services

Demand for steel pipe is high in the food services sector. Whether it transports waste or finished products, steel tubing in the food industry has to withstand difficult environments and resist corrosion while safely handling food products. Does your steel pipe supplier have a commitment to on-time delivery, high quality, and worker safety? Don't settle for less.

Where Should You Turn for API Drill Pipe or OCTG Products?

If your project involves down-the-hole (DTH) drilling, your tubing and API drill pipe cannot let you down, regardless of what you are drilling through, what type of rig you're using, and how deeply you need to drill. Your tubing must be uncompromising on durability, measurements and threads must be accurate, and getting the pipe you need delivered to your location must be a given.

Dedication to Quality from Mill to Jobsite

Whether you need hot-rolled tubing, cold drawn tubing or any other type of structural or transport tubing, your provider should be committed to quality and have quality assurance procedures from the mill to the point of delivery. Today's OCTG line pipe has to make it to increasingly remote jobsites, and you definitely don't want to have to send it back due to quality issues.

End Pieces that Won't Let You Down

Weak links are unacceptable for your OCTG products. Whatever type of end you require for your pipe, your provider should have it ready to go when you need it. The joints between the tubing and the end pieces are vulnerable points, and you need assurance that your steel pipe supplier heat-treats end pieces and sees to the quality of the threading on pipes so that you get optimum performance, with no question.

Quality Threading for Long Life

Correct threading is absolutely essential to the success of your drilling project. You need to be able to fit tubing together at the correct angle, get a tight fit, and be able to disconnect later when you want to reuse the tubing. When threads are not properly added, the result is frustration and possible safety hazards. Does your OCTG line pipe and drill pipe provider understand the importance of quality threading?

Logistics and Distribution that Won't Shy Away from Tough Jobs

The highest quality tubing in the world isn't useful if your supplier can't get it to you. Top suppliers have logistics engineers on staff and are prepared to deal with all methods of transport including Customs requirements in order to get your products to your jobsite exactly when you need them.

ASME Structural Steel: The Backbone of the World's Infrastructure

ASME Structural steel is used in construction in the form of I-beams, T-beams, and H-beams. Such beams are typically used as load bearing structural members in the framework of buildings. Structural steel is also the type of steel that is used to construct oil drilling rigs as well as civil construction projects and is manufactured in compliance with strict international standards and specifications covering chemical composition and strength.

Supplying the Structural Steel Industry Relies Upon

You steel supplier should be able to supply structural steel products with special cross sections or angles. Generally these are hot-rolled products that are riveted, welded, or bolted into place during the construction of buildings, bridges, highways, airports, harbor berths, seawalls, offshore platforms, or other types of structures. It is best to choose a supplier with ISO 9001 certification for distribution and trading of these products.

APILine Pipe and Petroleum

Line pipe is most closely associated with the oil and gas industries. It may be used for drilling, distribution, or other petroleum applications. With API-certified line pipe, you get high-strength steel that has undergone quenching and tempering to yield outstanding microstructure properties for even the most demanding environments. It has been used successfully on the north slope of Alaska and is designed to perform well in other extreme conditions too.

API Line Pipe and Water Transport

Water transport is another sector where API-rated line pipe is commonly used. Made from high strength carbon steel, this line pipe is available in diameters from two inches to 48 inches. It may be welded or seamless and must be able to withstand high pressures. Before it can be shipped to users, line pipe has to be tested to ensure it complies with steel chemistry strength and dimension specifications for reliable and safe pipeline transport.

One Supplier, Fewer Hassles

The construction of an oil rig, bridge, or airport requires numerous types of structural steel and piping. When you have one supplier that can be relied upon to provide structural steel, line pipe, oil country tubular goods, and other steel products, you have an easier time keeping your project on schedule and within budget.

What to Expect from Your Line Pipe Manufacturer

When you use ISO structural steel products, you are choosing materials for structural members that have undergone close inspection in order to meet exacting standards. Structural steel is the backbone of infrastructure all over the world, making up important parts of the petroleum chain, roads, bridges, airports, and skyscrapers. Expect your steel distributor to offer structural steel in a range of cross sectional types for every structural need.

Inspection and Defects in Structural Steel

With welded steel processes, products are inspected before welding, between weld passes, and after welding. The weld preparation must be correct, including preparation angles, minimal gap for fillet welds, and depth of preparation for part penetration welds, among other requirements. For multiple pass welds, the suitability of the surface of previous weld material must be determined, and relative position of parts to be joined have to meet fabrication drawing specs. Post-weld inspection is also critical for the integrity of structural steel products.

Steel and Pipe in Industry

Line pipe manufacturers supply industry worldwide with pipe used for drilling and transport. Does your pipe manufacturer ship to wherever you're located, even in remote areas? Does your manufacturer have a global network of mills for providing products on a tight schedule? Your project deserves no less.

Infrastructure and Pipelines

Without structural steel and line pipe, there would be no infrastructure. Structural steel is what makes buildings safe and bridges strong, and pipe is used in countless industries for efficient transport over long distances. Your supplier for line pipe and structural steel should not only have the materials knowledge necessary to bring you products that meet your specifications, it should offer you a range of delivery options suited to your project's needs.

Expect Steel and Pipe Made to the Highest Standards

You don't have to put up with steel and pipe suppliers who promise products but fail to deliver what was ordered or fail to deliver goods on time. Suppliers should be expected to be conversant in standards set by ISO, ASME, and the American Petroleum Institute, among others, because you don't have the time to educate suppliers on the importance of your structural steel and pipe requirements.

Can Your Exploration Pipeline Supplier Meet Your Other Steel Needs?

As world energy demand increases, drilling for oil continues to tap increasingly remote areas. When oil reserves are found, the challenge is getting crude over long distances to refineries. The exploration pipeline supplier plays a critical role in transport of crude oil and other petroleum products, providing steel pipe of various sizes for efficient transport.

Pipelines Still Transport of Choice Over Long Distances

When a lot of gas or oil has to travel over a long distance, a pipeline is the transport method of choice. Pipeline tubing has to be able to withstand extreme conditions, including very high and very low temperatures. The supplier for these products is critical to a properly functioning pipeline.

ASTM Structural Steel in Remote Facilities

Of course, drilling facilities themselves require steel too, in the form of structural steel. ASTM structural steel in various cross sectional types is necessary for offshore platforms and land structures at remote drilling sites. When your pipeline supplier can provide both exploration pipeline and structural steel, projects can go more smoothly, particularly when the supplier has a reputation for expertise, reliability, and quality.

Getting Products Where They Need to Go

Any supplier of structural steel and steel pipe that wants to remain in business has to have logistical expertise, competitive prices, and a global network of mills so that all products get to their destination on time. If you're in the petroleum industry, you need a supplier for steel pipe and tubing with knowledge of how the petroleum industry works, and what products companies need for drilling and transport.

Your Steel Pipe Supplier and You

Who has time to educate a steel supplier on specifications necessary for a drilling project? Your steel supplier is integral to your success, and if they understand what you need and why it must meet certain specifications, you can be confident that you won't have to deal with quality problems, or receiving the wrong product. Getting the steel you need, whether for a drilling rig, a transport pipeline, or facility construction doesn't have to be a hassle when you choose your supplier carefully.

What to Expect from an Exploration Pipeline Supplier

Petroleum exploration relies on advanced techniques used in places believed to contain hydrocarbon resources. Evaluation of an area's magnetic and seismic properties helps explorers find sub-surface geological features indicating the possible presence of hydrocarbons. After geophysical tests, an exploration well is drilled to determine definitively whether oil or gas is present in these areas.

Expense and Risk in Oil Exploration

Finding new oil reserves is expensive, and involves considerable risk. When it comes to exploring remote areas or potential offshore oil fields, usually only major petroleum companies or national governments are involved. Finding the type of shallow shelf wells that are found in the North Sea costs up to $30 million, and exploring deep water sources can easily cost $100 million. Even the smallest oil exploration projects on land cost upward of $100,000.

How Pipes are Used in Oil Exploration

Drill pipe is thick-walled pipe made of steel that is used on rigs to create a wellbore. Drill pipe manufacturers typically make it in lengths of about 30 feet. Drilling fluid is pumped through drill pipe into the hole, and back up in the space between the drill pipe and drill stem, a wider pipe surrounding the drill pipe. The drill pipe assembly, collectively known as a drill string, must penetrate the earth's crust to depths of a mile or more.

What an Exploration Pipeline Supplier Should Provide

Drill pipe manufacturers cannot cut corners due to the risk and expense of oil exploration. Your supplier should have extensive experience in oil exploration, and should have a keen understanding of your schedule and delivery needs. All pipes used in petroleum exploration should adhere to the applicable standards of the American Petroleum Institute (API) and other industry standard organizations.

Choosing your Supplier

The best supplier for exploration pipeline is one with engineers on staff with experience in the oil industry who understand exactly what is needed and when it is needed. Your supplier should have the inventory necessary to fill your needs, and should have a distribution network that can get the product to you on time and on budget.

The Basics of OCTG Tubing

OCTG stands for Oil Country Tubular Goods and refers to pipe and tubing used by oil producers. OCTG includes ISO steel pipes that are used on drilling rigs. While each drill site differs, all have certain things in common. For example, all drilling rigs use drill pipe and drill collars, which are larger-diameter, heavier pipes that fit around the drill pipe and place weight on the drill bit. OCTG must meet certain standards to accommodate the pressures, temperatures, and corrosiveness characteristic of drilling rigs.

Drill Pipe

Drill pipe consists of hollow tubing that connects equipment on the surface to the bottom hole assembly. It works as a conduit for drilling fluid. Drill pipe, along with drill collars and other necessary equipment that goes into the wellbore for drilling, are collectively known as the "drill string."

OCTG Casing

The large diameter pipe inserted into the drilled section of a bore hole and held in place with cement is known as casing. OCTG casing has many functions:

Prevention of water contamination
Prevention of cave-ins on unstable formations
Sealing off high pressure zones to prevent blowout
Providing a smooth bore for installing oil production equipment

OCTG Tubing

Tubing aids in directing oil from the reservoir to the surface. Tubing is placed inside a well and is used to inject fluids. It is of relatively small diameter compared to other OCTG products. Thick metal tubing known as a standpipe facilitates flow of drilling fluid and supports one end of the hose connected to a rig's Kelly drive, which provides the means to turn the drill bit.

Connections

Most OCTG products are joined together by means of threaded connections. Connections seem simple, but with oil wells, considerable attention must be paid to connections to minimize risk of connection failure, which could prove catastrophic.

Clearly, there are many places on an oil rig where inadequate OCTG could lead to disaster. In addition to using ISO steel, obtaining OCTG from a trusted supplier that is vigilant about meeting all applicable standards is an absolute necessity for safe and successful oil drilling.

ISO Steel and Other Manufacturing Standards

Today more than two-thirds of new pipeline demand comes from the Middle East, Asia, and North America. Additionally, some 85,000 km of steel pipe is expected to be needed in the United States alone, to replace pipes that were installed in the 1960s that are nearing the end of their functional lifespan. With the economies of India and China growing rapidly, steel pipe manufacturers must keep up with demands while meeting the standards set for ISO steel pipe and ASTM steel pipe, along with other standards.

Types of Welding and Quality

Steel pipe that is longitudinally welded and made from plates is of higher quality than steel pipe that is welded horizontally and made from coils. Longitudinally welded pipe is preferred for offshore gas and oil transportation because this type of transport typically takes place at higher pressures in a setting where leakage can be extremely costly. Horizontally welded steel pipe is more often used for water transport. Clearly, pipe that doesn't meet standards is problematic in these applications.

Processing of Steel Pipes

After steel pipes are made, they are straightened by machine, and may have threading added for connection purposes. Pipes are sent through measuring machines, and quality control data are printed onto pipes before they are sprayed with protective oil. Pipes are usually galvanized or coated with zinc to prevent rusting, and some applications require other paints of coatings. Steel pipe is manufactured according to many international industry standards. For example API 5L line pipe is designated by grade (A or B), or designated according to minimum pipe steel yield strength. For example, API 5L line pipe of X60 grade has steel with a minimum yield strength of 60,000 pounds per square inch.

Quality Control

Whether your project requires ASTM steel pipe, or pipe meeting some other international standard, it undergoes quality control procedures to ensure the finished product complies. For example, x-ray gauges regulate steel thickness on the production line. After being made, pipes are inspected and tested in various ways. Projects involving steel pipe are generally capital intensive, so choosing suppliers with expertise in international standards and strong grounding in engineering ensures the finished product is up to the task for which it is assigned.

The Refinery Pipeline Supplier: Your Strongest Link

Bringing petroleum products to the consumer involves several steps:

Finding resources
Drilling
Moving products to refineries
Converting crude products to finished products
Distributing and selling the refined products

Pipes are required in each of these steps. Offshore pipeline is used in exploration and on drilling rigs, and refinery pipeline is used to move products to and from refineries. Industries that refine petroleum require pipes, and the final distribution of the product often takes place via pipeline.

Importance of Pipeline Transport

Pipeline transport has a role in many industries besides petroleum. While liquids and gases are the most commonly pipe-transported products, pneumatic pipes can be used to transport solid products with compressed air. Any chemically stable liquid or gas may be transported by pipe, including biofuels, slurry, water and sewage. Most pipelines are laid underground, but some pipelines, like the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, are run above ground to avoid petroleum products melting the permafrost.

Pipes Used in the Petroleum Industry

Oil pipelines are usually made from steel, and their inner diameters range anywhere from 4 to 48 inches. Refinery pipeline is normally buried 3 to 6 feet underground. Pumping stations along the pipeline keep oil flowing properly. In the United States alone there are 150 oil refineries, converting crude oil to finished products. The tasks performed by refineries vary, and include everything from simple distillation to complicated sulfur removal.

Industry Standards

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is one of the bodies that sets standards for pipes used in the petroleum industry. The API is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for developing standards, specifications, and recommended practices for offshore pipeline, refinery pipeline, and other types of pipelines involved in petroleum transport.

Importance of Using the Best Pipeline Supplier

Petroleum distribution is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain from well to consumer. That's why choosing a refinery pipeline supplier with experience and knowledge along with the inventory and distribution capability needed to respond promptly to needs is critically important. Pipeline problems in the petroleum industry can be catastrophic, which is why only the most knowledgeable suppliers should be used.

Choosing your Line Pipe Manufacturer

Oil country tubular goods, or OCTG tubing, refers to tubing, drill pipes, and casing manufactured for the petroleum industry according to API Specification 5CT, a standard that covers seamless and welded casing, tubing, and liners. OCTG line pipe must be manufactured according to standards covering chemical composition, manufacturing process, and grade. It is a product category at the heart of both the petroleum industry and the steel pipe manufacturing industry.

Processes

If your project requires OCTG tubing, you need products manufactured in accordance with international standards, grades, and specs. Your line pipe manufacturer should be knowledgeable about ASTM, API, ASME, DIN, and other standards. Their quality assurance team should have expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and logistics so that you only receive products that have the quality necessary for your project. When you trust your supplier to follow proper processes in manufacturing and quality assurance, you can get on with your project with confidence.

Product Selection

With a huge project and a busy crew, who has time to source different products from different vendors? Your steel pipe supplier should have a broad selection so you can quickly order exactly what you need, such as:

Line pipe
Drill pipe
Tubing
Casing
Structural pipe

Having one source saves on time and paperwork.

Global Mill Network

Is your pipe supplier globally connected so that sourcing can be done quickly and conveniently no matter where your project is located? If not, you could end up wasting time waiting for the right supplies to show up. But if your supplier has the inventory and the global network to get the right products to you exactly when you need them, nobody wastes time, and projects stay on budget.

Finance and Logistics

Engineering, manufacturing, and quality control are vital, but even the best product falls short when the financing and logistical support is lacking. Choose a steel pipe supplier with the financial and logistical expertise needed to get your OCTG line pipe or whatever type of steel pipe you need to the right place at the right price and the right time. You should expect no less from your steel pipe supplier.

Your Steel Tubing Supplier and Success

It doesn't matter if you're in the oil and gas industry, water supply, industrial processing, or civil infrastructure: quality materials are one of the most important keys to success. With projects that often take place in remote areas or across international borders, those who rely on steel pipes must have a supplier with a proven track record of quality products, prompt delivery, and sufficient inventories.

Meeting Quality Standards

If your project requires pipe products that meet internationally recognized specifications such as those developed by

ASTM
API
ASME
ANSI
ISO

or others, then choosing a steel tubing supplier conversant in all international standards should be a top priority.

Delivery

Delivery needs vary across industries and across projects. But speed, convenience, safety, reliability, and economy are all important aspects of the delivery process. To keep your project on time and on budget, you need suppliers who understand time-sensitive needs, just-in-time delivery, and the intricacies of the delivery process. The best suppliers are willing to work with industries to develop custom delivery processes so that the right materials are available at the right time and in the right place.

Inventory

Sometimes you need ISO pipe or API line pipe as soon as possible, and for these supplies you need a source with an inventory on hand that meets your needs. When a project has to halt to await supplies, everyone loses out, and the best material suppliers keenly understand this. That's why choosing your steel pipe supplier is critically important to meeting your project goals.

Expertise

Because steel pipe is used in so many industries, expertise in those industries is extremely valuable to your particular project. If you need ISO pipe for a hydraulic project, you want a pipe supplier familiar with hydraulics projects and ISO. The same is true if your project needs API line pipe for a drilling rig. Choosing suppliers based on price alone can end up causing major problems with large projects. Invest in knowledge and expertise up front, and your long term prospects for success increase greatly.