In partnership with Fastmarkets, Westwood’s latest update for the Corrosion Resistant Alloys (CRA) Service provides unique insight into the CRA sector within both OCTG and line pipe markets. While the global oilfield equipment sector continues a gradual recovery, increased drilling activity in sour gas fields and environments with higher levels of CO2 and H2S is supporting heightened growth in both the CRA OCTG and CRA clad & lined pipe sectors.
On the OCTG side, austenitic grades look placed to take further market share despite pricing for Alloy 28 and other Nickel grades rising. In the line pipe segment, new mechanically lined pipe orders in Brazil and Norway contribute to an improved outlook, while the clad sector remains robust. Recent tender information indicates that CRA pipe made using the weld overlay manufacturing method contributes material tonnage, which has now been quantified on a global basis. The Middle East is also expected to remain the largest consuming region worldwide in this market, driven by expanding investment in gas drilling, LNG developments, sulphur exports from key regional producers, and multiple high volume projects.
The Corrosion Resistant Alloys (CRA) Service supports a five-year strategic outlook, and includes comprehensive market demand, supply and pricing analysis of the global corrosion resistant alloys markets within oil & gas tubulars.
Total CRA Demand Outlook: OCTG and Line Pipe, Expenditure & Tonnage (May Release)
Source: Westwood Global Energy, Fastmarkets
Key Conclusions
- Despite continued uncertainty around medium-term oil prices, Westwood Global Energy Group and Fastmarkets are forecasting a significant increase in the tonnage of Chromium and CRA OCTG grades required globally over the next few years.
- Demand in the Middle East has been revised upwards in the latest edition following the release of new tendering information and the extension of the timeline to 2023. Increased investment in the development of natural gas and sour reservoirs by influential National Oil Companies, in addition to more elevated offshore activity levels, all contribute to this.
- Globally, the number of prospective offshore fields for alloy grades of OCTG and Line pipe has reduced slightly since the previous edition. This reflects some projects passing FID in recent months, in addition to other projects being delayed or dropping from the list.
- As the supply chain to deliver higher tonnages of these pipe grades becomes ever tighter, mill lead times continue to increase.
- The team notes upward revisions for many of the longer-term alloy price forecasts, notably in the 13Cr OCTG grades, while clad plate pricing has now been included.
Users of the CRA Report can effectively plan strategies, monitor market trends, support business cases and mitigate risk via a comprehensive, five-year demand outlook, also exploring supply and pricing trends within the global corrosion resistant alloys market. Users also benefit from a list of upcoming oil and gas projects as well as prospects along with estimates of material requirements.
