Weak buying activity is still observed in the seamless pipe market in Iran. However, local seamless pipe suppliers have been resisting reductions in their prices and have left their offers mostly unchanged over the past month, though with some decreases of a maximum of $10/mt. Import offers of seamless pipes have not been revised either. Meanwhile, Iranian buyers remain generally passive and rarely conclude bookings in light of the weak demand from consuming industries. Market players do not expect any significant changes in the near term as they prefer to study the market situation more carefully after the easing of international sanctions.
Current domestic prices for Iranian seamless pipes 2"-4" grade B made to API 5L are in the range of $1,000-1,020/mt ex-works, while 2"-4" seamless pipes grade Х52 made to API 5L are offered to the domestic market at on average $1,100-1,120/mt ex-works.
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 $780-840/mt CFR Bandar Abbas.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106 are at about $1,050-1,080/mt CFR for December production.
Russian pipes of 2"-6" grade B as per ASTM A106 or GOST are being offered to northern Iranian ports at $950-1,000/mt CFR.