August has been a very slow month for CIS seamless pipe exporters with limited activity from foreign buyers. However, market players are more hopeful for an increase in purchase activity in September and the early fourth quarter. Over the past month export prices for seamless pipes from Ukraine's Interpipe have increased by $70-90/mt. Russian producers have raised their export offers of seamless pipes by 35-50/mt over the same period. The end of the month of Ramadan in Muslim countries and the end of the vacation season in Europe will further push up export quotations of seamless pipes from the CIS. It is expected that prices for round billets for Ukrainian mills may go up in September, what will increase pipe production costs and should find a reflection in export quotations of seamless pipes. Export offers of seamless pipes used in the oil and gas industry will continue to follow an upward trend also due to numerous new projects in the Middle East and North Africa. Rising prices for seamless pipes from China will also make it easier for seamless pipe producers in the CIS to raise their export offers.
Export prices from Ukrainian mill Interpipe for September-October production hot-formed seamless pipes of 42-159 mm diameter, of 10, 20 steel grades, as per GOST 8731/8732, currently vary in the range of $950-970/mt FOB, while seamless pipes of 168-377 mm diameter are quoted for export at $970-990/mt FOB. Offers of September-October production seamless pipes of 88.9-168.3 mm in diameter and of steel grade 52.0 made to DIN 1629 are at about $1,040-1,060/mt FOB.
Export offers of September production seamless pipes of 70-168 mm diameter, of 10, 20 steel grades according to GOST 8731/8732 from Ukraine's Dnepropetrovsk Tube Works are at $960-980/mt FOB.
Uraltrubostal's export quotations for October production hot-formed pipes with diameter of 33-219 mm made to GOST 8731/8732 from 10, 20 steel grades (produced by Pervouralsk Pipe) are at $930-950/mt FOB.
Export prices for September production seamless hot-formed pipes with diameter 219.1-406.4 mm of 10, 20 steel grade made to GOST 8731/8732 from Russian producer TMK's subsidiary Volzhsky Pipe Plant are at about $990-1,000/mt FOB, while offers of seamless pipes made to ASTM A106 are at $1,020-1,030/mt FOB.
Seamless hot-formed pipes with diameter 70-168 mm, 10, 20 steel grade, made to GOST from Russian producer Sinarsky PP are quoted at $1,100-1,110/mt FOB, while pipes made to ASTM A106 are offered at $1,190-1,200/mt FOB.
Export prices for pipes with 60.3-168.3 mm diameter made from steel grade P235 TR-1 to EN10216-1 from Sinarsky PP are at $1,200-1,220/mt FOB.