Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for producing pipes made of steel. According to the invention, within a period of time of no more than 20 seconds after the last deformation at a temperature greater than 700° C., but less than 1050° C., during passage a cooling medium is applied with elevated pressure onto the outside circumference of the pipe over a length of greater than 400 times the pipe wall thickness in a quantity which during rapid cooling provides an equivalent cooling speed of greater than 1° C./second of the pipe wall over the pipe length to a temperature in the range of 500° C. to 250° C., whereupon further cooling of the pipe down to room temperature is carried out by exposure to air.