ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 30. Japan’s
Nippon Steel views Azerbaijan as an important partner and continues
to supply pipes for bp’s oil and gas projects in the country under
a long-term contract, the company's marketing representative
Keiichi Kuroda told Trend on the sidelines of the 31st International
Conference and Exhibition "Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan" (OGT 2026)
in Ashgabat.
"We previously had contracts with SOCAR in Azerbaijan.
Currently, we are supplying oil transport pipes under a long-term
contract for bp projects in Azerbaijan," Kuroda said.
According to him, Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation is also involved
in the projects, providing on-site operations, including supply
chain management (SCM).
"We supply the pipes, while Sumitomo Corporation handles on-site
operations, including SCM, making a significant contribution to the
development of projects in Azerbaijan," the Nippon Steel
representative noted.
Kuroda emphasized that the company intends to develop its
relationship with Azerbaijan.
"We hope to continue deepening our cooperation with Azerbaijan,
which is an important partner for us," he said.
Meanwhile, Nippon Steel Corporation is one of Japan’s largest
steel companies, formed in 2012 through the merger of Nippon Steel
Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Industries. The group is engaged in
the production of steel, steel products, engineering solutions, and
new materials. According to the company, its total crude steel
production capacity is approximately 76 million metric tons per
year.
One of Nippon Steel’s business areas is the production of pipes
for the oil and gas industry, including OCTG pipes used in drilling
and well operations. The company also manufactures pipes made of
corrosion-resistant alloys (CRA) for aggressive environments,
including conditions with elevated levels of carbon dioxide and
hydrogen sulfide. These products are used in projects with
stringent requirements for equipment reliability.
