Vallourec undertakes continuous efforts aimed at decarbonization
André Lacerda, Senior Vice President of Vallourec South America, presented the results and advancements that the Vallourec Group has been making in Brazil and around the world during the Forest Leaders Forum.
Vallourec, a world leader in premium seamless tubular solutions, continuously invests in new technologies to optimize its production and ensure sustainability. Based on 2023 data, Vallourec has reduced its carbon footprint to 1.45 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of tube produced, compared to 1.79 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of tube in 2019, representing a 19% reduction over 4 years.
This significant reduction, certified by the independent non-profit research institute EPD International AB, a subsidiary of IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, sets a new industry standard for the premium seamless tubular solutions sector1.
“Vallourec in Brazil was a game changer to achieving this important result. This reduction is driven by the use of biomass charcoal from our own forests as a substitute for coke in the blast furnace at our tube production unit located in Jeceaba (MG); by the use of recycled scrap in the Electric Arc Furnace; and by utilizing 98% of electricity from renewable sources,” says André Lacerda, Senior Vice President of Vallourec South America.
As part of its environmental commitments, Vallourec continues its reduction trajectory with the ambitious goal of reducing the carbon intensity of its tubes by 35% by 2035 compared to 2021 levels.Results and goals like these were presented by André Lacerda during the Forest Leaders Forum, held in Belo Horizonte (MG) on February 4th. The event brought together leaders from the main Brazilian steel companies to discuss the theme ‘The advancement of low carbon steel in Brazil.’ The meeting, promoted by the Minas Gerais Forest Industry Association (AMIF), was a milestone in the debate on the prospects for 2025, the impacts of the current geopolitical scenario, events such as COP 30, and the role of the state in the low carbon steel production.
Among the innovations and initiatives presented by the company during the event, specifically regarding the use of charcoal in the steel production process, Vallourec created and patented a continuous carbonization technology for charcoal production, called Carboval. According to André Lacerda, “this technology has great potential to revolutionize the energy sector”.
Carboval reduces the raw material transformation cycle from 16 days to 16 hours, without methane emissions and utilizing about 95% of the energy contained in the wood. Each Carboval reactor replaces seven masonry kilns and can produce up to 22 tons of charcoal with much higher quality than conventional rectangular kilns. For example, the fixed carbon content, which serves as an energy source for chemical reactions, can reach levels of 85%.
According to André Lacerda, “low carbon steel produced using biomass charcoal from renewable planted forests has been a reality at Vallourec for decades, confirming that our company has always been committed not only to its own decarbonization journey but also to creating value for our customers, our country, and the world”.
1 Source: Peers’ Published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
