Seamless
pipe demand in
Iran remains sluggish amid the ongoing unstable political and economic situation in the country. However, seamless
pipe suppliers are unwilling to reduce offers, and have even raised their prices in some cases. Iranian traders have increased their offers by a maximum of $95/mt over the past month, depending on sizes, due to the increasing costs and limited imports on the back of unfavorable government regulations on exchange rates and the economic sanctions on
Iran. Import offers of Chinese material have increased by around $50/mt, while prices for CIS seamless pipes have stayed in the previous range. Iranian market players are optimistic about the outcome of the next set of negotiations about
Iran's nuclear program. If the parties agree to relax economic sanctions, demand for seamless pipes in
Iran should expand in future.
Local stockists' prices for domestic production seamless pipes of ¾"-3" size are at about $1,600-1,985/mt ex-warehouse, $5-95/mt higher than in the past month, depending on sizes.
Import offers of Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L, are being given to the local Iranian market at $950-1,050/mt CFR Bandar Abbas.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106 are at about $1,230-1,250/mt CFR Bandar Abbas for May production, while offers of 8"-12" pipes are at $1,270-1,300/mt CFR.
Russian pipes of 2"-8" grade B as per ASTM A106 are being offered to northern Iranian ports at $1,150-1,200/mt CFR Anzali.
Iranian stockists' domestic prices for locally produced seamless pipes:
($/mt, ex-warehouse)
Diameter Price Change*
¾" 1,985 +5
2" 1,620 +95
2 ½" 1,600 +75
3" 1,605 +25
*over the past four weeks