Consumer demand for seamless pipes has not yet fully recovered in Saudi Arabia despite expectations, and so traders are only concluding rare bookings. As a result, Chinese and Ukrainian suppliers have left their seamless pipe offer prices unchanged from one month ago. Only seamless pipe suppliers from South Africa and Japan have increased their offers for the Saudi market, raising them by around $20-25/mt over the past month on the back of higher production costs. Saudi market participants are optimistic due to their expectations that traders will step up their purchases soon in order to replenish stocks.
Most offers of Chinese seamless pipes of 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM are being given to the Saudi Arabian market at $800-880/mt CFR, while quotations of seamless pipes from larger Chinese mills are at $940-980/mt CFR.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes (Interpipe) of 2"-10" grade B made to ASTM A106 to Saudi Arabia are at $1,070-1,110/mt CFR, while offers of seamless pipes as per API 5L are at $1,090-1,130/mt CFR.
South African seamless pipes (ArcelorMittal), 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106, are quoted at around $1,070-1,100/mt CFR Saudi Arabia.
Quotations from Japan (NSSMC) for seamless pipes of 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at about $1,425-1,475/mt CFR Saudi Arabia.