Abstract: The nitrogen and oxygen content of low carbon steel made by the basic oxygen process is minimized by:(a) introducing nitrogen-free fluid into the vessel before the nitrogen content of the melt has reached its minimum level,(b) adjusting the flow rate of the nitrogen-free fluid to maintain total off-gas flow rate at least equal to that which would have been produced without the nitrogen-free fluid at the time in the refining process when the nitrogen content of the melt reached its minimum level, and(c) the injection of nitrogen-free fluid throughout the remainder of the oxygen blow.A preferred additional or alternatively separate step involves minimizing the nitrogen content of BOP steel by purging the vessel headspace with a nitrogen-free fluid prior to reblows.