There is still no improvement in the Iranian seamless pipe market where demand continues to be slack due to seasonal factors and the lack of financing of new projects. However, Iranian producers have kept their seamless pipe offers for local customers unchanged from the levels of one month ago. Besides, import offers of seamless pipes from China and Ukraine have increased by a maximum of $20/mt, while quotations of Russian material have moved up by around $50/mt over the past month on the back of better demand in alternative markets. Market insiders do not expect any improvement in the near future, taking into account the approach of the Iranian New Year as well.
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 $800-850/mt CFR Bandar Abbas.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106 are at about $1,050-1,100/mt CFR for January production.
Russian pipes of 2"-6" grade B as per ASTM A106 or GOST are being offered to northern Iranian ports at $1,000-1,050/mt CFR.