Air Liquide Canada announced the construction of a new oxygen pipeline in Hamilton, Ontario, with the support of Horizon Utilities and the Ontario Power Authoritys saveONenergy Program. The pipeline will be built between Air Liquides air separation complex and the ArcelorMittal Dofasco plant in Hamilton, Canadas largest flat rolled steelmaking facility.
The new pipeline represents a total investment in excess of USD 12M, jointly funded by Air Liquide and the Ontario Power Authoritys saveONenergy Program. The new pipeline will reduce electrical energy consumption at Air Liquides Hamilton operations by almost 29,000MWh/year or USD 2M annually. It will allow Air Liquide to supply Oxygen more efficiently to ArcelorMittal-Dofasco, which is essential in the production of iron and steel. Access to lower cost oxygen will provide an opportunity for increased productivity of ArcelorMittal Dofascos blast furnaces.
A large part of purchased goods and services required to build the pipeline will be sourced from local Hamilton area companies. Construction will begin as soon as final approvals are received from the City of Hamilton and commissioning of the pipeline should begin in March 2015.