CIS seamless pipe exports are facing sluggish demand ahead of the low consumption season. Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian mills have not changed their export prices for seamless pipes over the past month, supported by steady consumption by Russian oil and gas companies. CIS seamless pipe producers will find it difficult to raise their export prices in the coming period amid the seasonal slackening of end-user demand in the major export outlets.
Market players believe export offers of seamless pipes from Russian and Ukrainian producers will remain unchanged in the November-January period.
Export prices from Ukrainian mill Interpipe for December production hot-formed seamless pipes of 42-219 mm diameter as per GOST or ASTM currently vary in the range of $1,000-1,070/mt FOB.
Seamless pipes with 114.3-219.1 mm diameter as per ASTM or GOST from Tagmet (TMK Group) are quoted in the range of $1,020-1,050/mt FOB for December-January production.
Seamless hot-formed pipes with diameter of 33.4-88.9 mm made to ASTM from Sinarsky PP are quoted at $1,260-1,270/mt FOB for December-January production, while pipes made to GOST are at $1,110-1,120/mt FOB.
Export offers of Russian seamless pipes of 60.3-114.3 mm diameter, made to ASTM or GOST, from Uraltrubostal (Pervouralsky Novotrubny Works) are at $940-960/mt FOB, for December output, while pipes of 33.4-42.2 mm diameter are at around $1,250/mt FOB also for December production. Export prices of seamless pipes of 168.3-219.1 mm diameter are in the range of $940-960/mt FOB, for May-June 2013 output.