MOSCOW (MRC) - Demand for the products of manufacturers of polymer pipelines will grow significantly in Russia, primarily from the state, RBK reports.
As part of the reforms in the housing and communal services sector, the fate of heating networks and water pipelines, which are worn out by 60%, will have to be decided. The required expenditures for upgrading the infrastructure amount to more than 1 trillion rubles. A large-scale municipal reform should also accelerate the process of replacing metal pipes with polymer ones in engineering networks.
Even the coronavirus pandemic has not affected the growth of the polymer segment in the past year or two. According to Rosstat, in 2020 the market for polymer pipes exceeded half a million tons, an increase of almost 15% compared to 2019. In the first nine months of this year, Russia produced 19% more polymers compared to the same period in 2020.
At the same time, according to Rosstat, the share of metal pipes used in the national economy of Russia in 2016–2020 was almost 68%, polymer pipes - less than 32%. The reason for the conservatism of some industries is also the lack of a sufficient regulatory framework. For polymers to become more widespread, business needs to be more actively involved in the development of relevant product standards - GOSTs and requirements for design, construction and operation, codes of practice and state prices for products and construction.
Polymer pipes have recently been increasingly used in various industries, primarily in housing and communal services, but if we talk about the oil industry, then not in all its segments it is still possible to introduce polymer technical solutions. We are talking, in particular, about large-diameter and high-pressure oil trunk pipelines.
The capacity of the market for polymer pipes in Russia (in 2020 - 0.44 million tonnes) is 31 times less than that of China (13.6 mln tonne) in absolute terms, according to Rosstat data. The consumption of polymers of pipe grades per capita in China and the European Union last year was 10 kg per person, in the USA - 9 kg per person, in Russia - only 3 kg per person.
The share of polymer solutions in the housing and utilities sector in Russia is 35%, and in Europe - 85%. If we talk about the field of oil and gas production, Russia consumes no more than 3% of the global volume of flexible polymer reinforced pipes.
Earlier it was reported that the Khabarovsk Pipe Insulation Plant (KhTZI) announced the expansion of the product line and the entry into new sales markets. This year the plant has launched production of pipes with polymeric foam insulation.
According to MRC's ScanPlast, the estimated consumption of PE in Russia amounted to 1,868.16 thousand tons in the first nine months of 2021, which is 18% more than in the same period a year earlier. The supply of all types of ethylene polymers increased.
MRC