Seamless tube plant, VSB (Brazil)

Franco-Japanese joint venture Vallourec & Sumitomo Tubos do Brasil (VSB) erected a massive plant with an annual capacity of 600,000 t in the Brazilian province of Minas Gerais. The continuous caster and ladle furnace come from SMS Concast; the PQF^® seamless tube mill from SMS group.

The new plant enables VSB to produce high-quality oilfield tubulars suitable for installation at very low submarine depths. SMS group supplied all the key components of the rolling mill equipment:

• Cone-type piercer
• 6-stand PQF^® mill
• Extracting mill
• Sizing mill
• CARTA^® technology system
• Utilities systems and automation

• Tube diameters: 6 5/8” – 16”
• Wall thickness: 6.3 – 35 mm
• Capacity: 600,000 t/year
• Production process: PQF^® ACO-type
• Products: Casings, tubings, line pipes, mechanicals