SSAB Uses Liquefied Natural Gas in Steel Production

Steel manufacturer SSAB has implemented liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel source in its steel production processes at its Borlänge plant in Sweden. Gasum is the supplier of the LNG, delivering it to the facility via trucks.

SSAB has been utilizing natural gas in one of its reheating furnaces for a couple of years. The consumption rate is approximately 6 to 7 tons per hour. According to Tomas Hirsch, Energy Director at SSAB, LNG is an efficient fuel for industrial heating processes. He notes its ease of regulation according to process needs, its status as the fossil fuel with the lowest CO2 emissions, and its low emissions of NOx, dust, and sulfur.

The adoption of natural gas is part of SSAB's strategy to enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of its energy system. The company began exploring natural gas deliveries in the early 2010s. At the Borlänge plant, the gas is stored in four tanks with a combined capacity of 500 tons. Annually, the plant consumes approximately 45,000 tons of natural gas.

The terminal and storage tanks, owned by Gasum, facilitate the LNG supply. SSAB reports that nitrogen oxide emissions have decreased by 300 tons annually, carbon dioxide emissions by 40,000 tons per year, and sulfur dioxide emissions have been nearly eliminated. SSAB is also using LNG at its steel mill in Raahe, Finland, with deliveries facilitated by truck from Gasum's terminal in Tornio.