What do people from Canada, India or France, a camel, ArcelorMittal and many firsts have in common? They all come together around our project of building a Tubular Products site in Saudi Arabia. Check out a report from Dave McGowan, a colleague on the spot, who explains how they spent a very warm desert night with the community…

“As you may know the project is a joint venture that has drawn a lot of international participation. We have some folks on site from India, China, France, Belgium, Canada, Egypt and the Philippines. The project team is currently located in Jubail Industrial City in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

As our Project Manager pointed out, this project will be full of many firsts and on a warm evening in May we had our first social event involving all the team, their families, and visitors in the social area located in the flat complex we occupy. Everyone pitched in to provide a wonderful dinner and a special desert was supplied by our Belgium and Canadian friends of thin crust pancakes with ice cream topped with many favourites including jams and some Canadian maple syrup.

For the kids, a Wii gaming station was available to enjoy while the older folks played a game of pass the basket ball. One of the young folks from India, Netra Bhadkamkar, filled a hat with many activities designed to “punish” you by requiring a joke or singing a song if you were caught with the ball. It was a great way to get to know all the neighbours. Our club has also had a couple of movie nights.

On a personal note, my firsts have been continuing every day but I have yet to ride a camel. So far, the most impressive first for me is 48ºC! I never imagined temperatures like this but I am told that I will experience higher…”

Author: Dave McGowan, Electrical Project Specialist, ArcelorMittal’s Tubular Products – Al Jubail

The decision was made as a result of an independent project feasibility study conducted by ArcelorMittal following an invitation to invest by the Nigerian Government.

Construction on the mill is due to begin in 2008, with production starting in 2010. The mill will produce large diameter welded pipes in line with the oil and gas industry’s technical specifications. The investment, which ties in with the medium to long term opportunities for gas pipelines in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, was welcomed by Nigerian and international oil companies. Nigeria is the largest oil and gas producer in Sub-Saharan Africa with planned investments of approximately $42 billion over the next 5 years and ambitions to increase its gas production capabilities.

Mr. Sudhir Maheshwari, Executive Vice President, Finance and M&A at ArcelorMittal said that this investment in Nigeria gave ArcelorMittal access to a major oil and gas market, adding that through this investment they hoped to develop Nigeria into a regional hub for ArcelorMittal’s products targeting the oil and gas industry.

The 50/50 joint venture will see the development of a manganese mine, beneficiation plant and sinter complex in Hotazel and a smelter complex in Coega. A ferromanganese alloy production facility will also be established in the Coega Industrial Development Zone in Port Elizabeth, which will account for at least 50% of ArcelorMittal’s needs.

Drilling to-date has confirmed the presence of a high grade manganese ore resource sufficient to support a life of mine in excess of 20 years. The project, which is due to come on-line in 2010, overlies the Kalagadi Manganese Basin, a world renowned source of manganese ore containing 80 percent of the world’s known manganese resources.

Kalagadi Manganese is 80% owned by Kalahari Resources, a majority black women owned and controlled company. The remaining 20% is held by the South African state-owned financier, the Industrial Development Corporation.