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.
