Hunan Province-based Chinese steelmaker Shengli Xianggang Steel Pipe Co. has announced that production operations in the first phase of its RMB 600 million ($96.46 million) steel pipe project are expected to begin in the second half of the current year. The first phase consists of a spiral welded pipe line, with installation completed on March 28 and tests due to take place in April, and a longitudinal welded pipe line, the installation of which is expected to be completed in June this year. The first phase of the project will have an annual output capacity of 300,000 mt of spiral welded pipe and 200,000 mt of longitudinal welded pipe.