STEELMAKER Corus last night announced it had been awarded a £72m contract to manufacture steel pipe for an Anglo-Dutch gas pipeline.

The 240km pipeline will link Balgzand, in the Netherlands, to Bacton, on the Norfolk coast, and will involve the manufacture of more than 110,000 tonnes of pipe, which will be made next year at Corus' pipe mill in Hartlepool.

The deal is one of the biggest pipe contracts awarded to Corus Tubes Energy Business, based in Corby, Northamptonshire.

As UK North Sea gas production is expected to decline, the BBL pipeline will provide a link to enable forecast UK gas demand shortages to be met from international sources.

BBL Company, based in Holland, will own and operate the pipeline.

Corus is one of the world's largest metal producers, with an annual turnover of £8bn and major operating facilities in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway and Belgium. The company is due to announce its interim results tomorrow, which are expected to show the company is in profit