Abstract: A method for preheating the oxygen used in converters. Steam which is already available in the usual steel manufacturing plant, is used to preheat the oxygen. The steam may be generated from waste gas produced in an converter process. A heat exchanger which may be placed into an oxygen supply line, feeds into a line of the blast lance. This heat exchanger may be placed between the feed line to the blast lance and shut off and control devices in the oxygen supply line. A connector in the oxygen supply line may be located between the heat exchanger and the feed line to the blast lance, and may be heat-insulated.