Discussion: Adjustment of the Structure of China's Building Materials Seamless Steel Pipe Industry

In 2011, China's steel pipe consumption was about 66.97 million tons, including 40.48 million tons of welded pipes

In 2011, China's steel pipe consumption was about 66.97 million tons, including 40.48 million tons of welded pipes, a year-on-year increase of 27.5%, and 26.49 million tons of seamless steel pipes, a year-on-year increase of 9.3%.

The current world economy is complex and volatile, with many countries affected by debt crises. The United Nations predicted at the beginning of this year that the global economic growth rate would decline to 2.6% in 2012. Although China's economic growth rate slowed down in 2012, it will still achieve a growth rate of 7.5%, which is the basic point for predicting the demand trend of steel pipes in 2012. It is expected that in 2012, various industries will consume 70.8 million tons of steel pipes, including 42.5 million tons of welded pipes and 28.3 million tons of seamless steel pipes. Of course, the market fluctuations in various industries in China are not the same, some are flat growth, some are flat, and some are declining. Steel pipe enterprises should pay attention to these changes and adjust their product structure in a timely manner.

The current situation of China's seamless steel pipe industry and the important issue of transforming its development mode.

Overcapacity and total quantity control are currently the focus of attention in China's seamless steel pipe industry.

In terms of production of seamless steel pipes in China, it reached 2.84 million tons in 1993, surpassing Russia to become the largest producer of seamless steel pipes; In terms of total production, China's annual production of seamless steel pipes accounts for more than half of the world's total seamless steel pipe production (about 52% or more); In terms of production capacity, China's seamless steel pipe production capacity has exceeded 70% of the world's total production capacity, making it a well deserved major producer of seamless steel pipes.

At present, there are about 350 sets of seamless steel pipe units in China (including those under construction and planned), with a production capacity of over 32 million tons and an overcapacity of about 6 million tons. Among them, the total production capacity of seamless steel pipe oil well pipes is about 7.6 million tons, while the domestic consumption demand is about 2.6 million tons. Even if foreign trade reaches 2 million tons, there is still an overcapacity of 3 million tons. In addition, the production capacity of seamless high-pressure boiler tubes is about 1.4 million tons, while the domestic consumption demand is about 800000 tons, and the export volume is less than 100000 tons, resulting in an overcapacity of 500000 to 600000 tons. In this situation, China is currently building new seamless steel pipe units, with 5 units put into operation in 2012, with a production capacity of approximately 3 million tons. Therefore, overcapacity and total quantity control are currently the focus of attention in China's seamless steel pipe industry.

Energy conservation and emission reduction are important issues for the transformation and development mode of China's seamless steel pipe industry
The proportion of seamless steel pipes in the total steel pipe production worldwide is about 30%, while welded pipes account for 70%. Among them, seamless steel pipes account for 15% and welded pipes account for 85% in Japan; South Korean seamless pipes account for 5%, while welded pipes account for 95%; Seamless pipes account for about 20% and welded pipes account for 80% in Western countries such as the United States; Seamless pipes account for 30% and welded pipes account for 70% in Russia; In 2011, welded pipes accounted for 60% and seamless pipes accounted for 40% in China. Why is seamless pipe production shrinking globally while welded pipe production is on the rise? The main reason is that seamless steel pipe production is a major energy consumer. Experts have pointed out that the energy consumption and environmental impact of seamless steel pipe production should exceed its proportion in the output, which is an issue that cannot be ignored in achieving the green metallurgical strategic goals of China's seamless steel pipe industry.

The energy consumption value of the rolling process of hot-rolled seamless steel pipes ranks first among all hot-rolled varieties in China, mainly because this process first heats the billet, punctures it, and then heats it before sizing it, with two heating processes. Therefore, in order to achieve energy conservation and emission reduction, it is necessary to gradually realize the hot charging and delivery of steel billets and shorten the rolling process flow (from two heating cycles to one heating cycle).

Structural adjustment of seamless steel pipe technology equipment