Alita USA plans to invest up to $102 million to build a 150,000-metric-ton manufacturing facility in the Buffalo, N.Y., area to produce welded OCTG (oil-country tubular goods) casing steel pipes. The fully integrated production facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art heat-treatment, process and testing equipment to produce special high-alloy grades for high-stress conditions in horizontal drilling of shale gas sites. According to Alita USA, not only is Buffalo located close to one of the largest shale gas sites in North America, but its location makes it ideal for the delivery of raw materials. The company added that the allocation of 4 MW of low-cost hydropower by the New York Power Authority and the availability of competitively priced HRC within close proximity to Buffalo will enable it to produce high-quality alloy OCTG at a competitive price.