Shagang’s 9-nickel steel won the bid for a large LNG storage tank project in Turkey

Thread Content

Recently, Shagang 9Ni Steel won a bid for a large LNG storage tank project in Turkey, securing an order to supply the key special steel materials for such tanks overseas. This is another important milestone for Shagang’s high-end specialty steels in going global. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) needs to be stored and transported at ultra-low temperatures of minus 163°C; ordinary steel becomes brittle at such extreme temperatures and is therefore not suitable for use in these conditions. Ninieckel steel is a special type of steel developed specifically for such low-temperature environments; it serves as the core material for the inner liners of LNG storage tanks, and is referred to in the industry as the \"steel diamond\". Pang Zhouyi, a research and development specialist in sheet and strip products at Jiangsu Shagang Iron and Steel Research Institute Co., Ltd., explained: “Compared to ordinary steel, the biggest advantage of 9-nickel steel is its ability to withstand low-temperature conditions as low as -196°C.” Ordinary carbon steel is generally used in environments ranging from 0 to minus 20°C, while some higher-grade steels can be used in environments as low as minus 40°C. ”Ninieckel steel has a nickel content of over 9%; during production it is necessary to control low levels of phosphorus and sulfur. The allowable range for these elements is quite narrow. It is essential to form a reverse-transformed austenite structure within the steel plate, as this is what enables the plate to withstand impacts at -196°C. The products won by Shagang in this bid possess a number of significant advantages: in an ultra-low temperature environment of minus 196°C, the impact strength of Shagang’s nine-nickel steel far exceeds industry standards, and its toughness is more than three times that of ordinary steel at normal temperatures ； Precise control is achieved from the steelmaking stage, with the levels of harmful impurities such as phosphorus and sulfur being below industry standards ； Special process optimizations have been carried out to meet the requirements of on-site construction in overseas projects, thereby reducing the difficulties associated with such construction ； Rigorous testing is carried out throughout the entire process, with non-destructive testing performed on each individual unit; it has been certified by multiple international authoritative organizations.