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POSCO Holdings (Photo: Yonhap News Agency) |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] POSCO announced on July 13 that it will supply Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC)-resistant steel for the Fadhili Gas Plant Expansion Project led by Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
The Fadhili expansion is a large-scale energy infrastructure project aimed at increasing the plant’s gas processing capacity by approximately 1.6 times. POSCO’s HIC-resistant steel is engineered to withstand hydrogen-induced cracking, making it ideal for use in energy pipelines, pressure vessels, and other components operating in harsh environments.
This marks the first time that HIC-resistant steel, specifically designed for plant facilities, is being supplied for such a project. Traditionally, the plant segment of the energy steel market has been dominated by European manufacturers due to Aramco’s stringent standards, which exceed international specifications such as NACE TM0284.
POSCO is now among only nine steelmakers worldwide to have earned Aramco certification for HIC-resistant plant steel. The successful delivery underscores POSCO’s growing technological leadership and competitiveness in the high-value-added energy steel sector.
The supplied HIC steel is being processed into finished components—piping, pressure vessels, and fittings—by Korean manufacturers, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Korea’s plant equipment industry. Notably, while European firms were initially considered for these fabrication roles, POSCO’s involvement enabled a shift to domestic suppliers.
Currently:
Hyundai Steel Pipe and SeAH Steel are producing the piping,
Bumhan Mecatec is manufacturing the pressure vessels, and
Taekwang is handling the fittings.
POSCO emphasized that, amid ongoing global trade uncertainties—such as protectionism and high tariff barriers—it plans to further expand its market presence by focusing on high-value, certified steel products and actively developing new demand in the global energy sector.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
